Nigerians care about results, not numbers, Natasha reacts to Tinubu’s ₦58.18trn budget

The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the proposed ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill delivers real and measurable benefits to Nigerians, rather than remaining an impressive figure on paper.

Reacting to the president’s presentation of the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the event as important but warned against focusing on the size of the budget without equal attention to its impact.

She stressed that large fiscal figures alone cannot address Nigeria’s long-standing development challenges.

“Of all the lengthy speeches, one line by Mr President struck me deeply: it’s not the size of the budget but the quantum of impact felt by Nigerians,” she said.

The senator noted that although the ₦58.18 trillion proposal reflects the scale of Nigeria’s economic ambitions and structural problems, ordinary citizens are more concerned about how government spending improves their daily lives.

According to her, Nigerians expect budgets to translate into better living standards through job creation, functional infrastructure, affordable healthcare, quality education and accessible social services, rather than remaining projections that do not deliver tangible outcomes.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also emphasised the importance of accountability, saying it is a shared responsibility between leaders and citizens.

“Leaders must do better, and citizens must demand accountability,” she said.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, she has consistently advocated fiscal transparency, prudent management of public resources and people-focused budgeting. Her comments align with growing public concerns that despite the steady increase in Nigeria’s annual budgets, improvements in welfare, productivity and social stability have not matched expectations.

President Tinubu presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly on Friday, expressing optimism about gradual economic recovery while promising stricter budget discipline and stronger revenue enforcement across government agencies.

He also reaffirmed his administration’s hardline security stance, declaring that all armed non-state actors would be treated as terrorists.

The budget proposal, titled “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” is aimed at consolidating recent macroeconomic gains, restoring investor confidence and translating economic stability into inclusive growth.

Defending his administration’s economic reforms, Tinubu cited a 3.98 per cent economic growth rate in the third quarter of 2025, eight consecutive months of easing inflation, improved oil production, stronger non-oil revenues and renewed investor confidence as signs of progress.

However, as deliberations begin in the National Assembly, lawmakers such as Akpoti-Uduaghan insist that the true measure of the 2026 budget will be its visible impact on households and communities across the country, not just its macroeconomic indicators.