By Our Reporter
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Tuesday presented a ₦939.85 billion 2026 Appropriation Bill, tagged: "Budget of Hope and Growth" to the Edo State House of Assembly at a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, for passage into law.
Governor Okpebholo, while presenting the budget estimates, commended the Speaker and the lawmakers for their cooperation and support, which he said ensured the successful implementation of the 2025 Budget and translated into tangible benefits for the people of the state.
The governor said the 2025 Budget recorded strong performance in both capital and recurrent expenditures, pointing out that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) improved significantly due to the blocking of leakages and the strengthening of revenue collection systems.
He explained that the ₦939.85 billion 2026 Budget proposal comprises ₦637 billion (68 per cent) for capital expenditure and ₦302 billion (32 per cent) for recurrent expenditure, reflecting the administration’s commitment to visible and people-centered development.
Governor Okpebholo said the budget would be funded through projected IGR of ₦160 billion, FAAC allocations of ₦480 billion, capital receipts and grants of ₦153 billion, Public-Private Partnerships valued at ₦146 billion, and other revenue windows available to the state.
The governor, while giving sectoral allocations, said the economic sector has the largest share of ₦614.2 billion, while the social sector was allocated ₦148.9 billion, the administration sector ₦157.7 billion, and the justice sector, a sum of ₦19 billion.
The governor said the 2026 Budget of Hope and Growth is anchored on the administration’s SHINE Agenda (Security, Health, Infrastructure, Natural Resources/Agriculture, and Education), noting that it was designed to build a prosperous, united Edo State where every citizen feels the impact of governance.
On security, Okpebholo said his administration was determined to ensure that Edo State is no longer a safe haven for criminals.
In the health sector, Governor Okpebholo said his administration was rebuilding a collapsed system from the ground up, with the construction of new Primary Health Centres across the state, the provision of diagnostic equipment, and the ongoing construction of a 150-bed Specialist Hospital in Edo Central.
On 2025 Budget performance, concerning infrastructure, he disclosed that his administration awarded 28 new road projects totaling 255 kilometres, including the construction of two flyovers in Benin City at Ramat Park and Sapele Road by Adesuwa Junction, the first in the history of Edo State, adding that several community roads were also under construction to improve connectivity across the state.
Okpebholo said agriculture had received a major boost, with the sector’s budget expanded from ₦6.9 billion to ₦57 billion, following encouragement from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On education, the governor said his administration recruited 5,000 permanent teachers and upgraded 63 schools to modern standards, with more upgrades ongoing, just as he announced a significant increase in monthly subventions to tertiary institutions, raising Ambrose Alli University’s allocation from ₦41 million to ₦500 million, and Edo State University, Iyamoh, from ₦25 million to ₦250 million.
On economic growth and job creation, the governor said the administration inherited both foreign and local debts but had begun the gradual process of reducing the debt burden, disclosing that over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs had been created, alongside the launch of a ₦1 billion interest-free loan scheme for market women and traders.
On governance and institutional reforms, Governor Okpebholo said public trust had been restored through the swearing-in of three judges who were previously sidelined, the re-establishment of customary courts, and the strengthening of traditional institutions to foster cooperation across all levels of government.
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