Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, on Monday presented a N985.9 billion budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
Addressing the lawmakers at Lugard Hall, Sani said the proposed spending places strong emphasis on security, infrastructure expansion, and the consolidation of human capital development across the state.
He said his administration is determined to strengthen public confidence through transparency and broad stakeholder engagement.
Capital expenditure accounts for 71 per cent of the proposed budget, while recurrent spending is pegged at 29 per cent.
Education and infrastructure each received 25 per cent of total allocations, a balance Sani described as central to Kaduna’s long-term growth ambitions.
A major feature of the proposal is the allocation of N100 million to every ward in the state for community identified projects.
According to the governor, the move preserves the commitment of the state to participatory budgeting and ensures that development priorities are shaped from the bottom up.
Sani told lawmakers that his government has contracted no new loans since assuming office in 2023.
He disclosed that N114.9 billion has been committed to debt servicing within that period, a decision he argued was necessary to preserve fiscal stability.
The governor urged the lawmakers to subject the budget to rigorous scrutiny, adding that collaboration between the executive and legislature remains critical to achieving inclusive growth.
Sani said further that the proposed budget emerged from extensive consultations with traditional rulers, civil society groups, private sector leaders, development partners, youth organisations, and women associations.
He said, “The process offered a clearer understanding of citizens’ expectations and helped shape spending priorities for the coming year.”
Reviewing the outgoing fiscal year, Sani said Kaduna recorded measurable gains in security management despite persistent threats in several communities.
He cited “stronger cooperation with security agencies, improved surveillance and renewed confidence in the Kaduna Peace Model which relies on dialogue and early warning structures to prevent conflict.”
The governor said the approach reopened farmlands and enabled the return of children to schools in previously tense areas.
On infrastructure development, Sani said his administration has made achievements in road projects, transport, education, healthcare, and agriculture, among others.
According to him, 140 new road projects covering 1,335 kilometres have been executed across the state, out of which
64 had been completed, especially in communities that had been without new road projects for more than a decade.”
He also highlighted reforms within the transport sector, including the Kaduna Bus Rapid Transit initiative, new intercity terminals, and the continued implementation of transport subsidies, which he said has saved households more than N500 million.
John Shiklam
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