By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
The Jigawa state Governor Malam Umar Namadi has proposed a budget of N698.3 billion for the 2025 fiscal year. The proposed figure represents about 82% increase over 2024 appropriation of N383.5 billion.
Presenting this year’s budget before the State House of Assembly on Friday, the governor maintained that though the figure might seem ambitious, it was realistic given the various plans in the ground to enhance the welfare and wellbeing of the people of the state.
According to him, “while the budget may be seen as ambitious, especially when considered the 2024 appropriation, we’re optimistic that it is realistic and walk conceived to deliver strategic development objectives of the state.
The budget focuses on key areas such as education, agricultural development, infrastructure development and economic empowerment.
The governor emphasised his government’s commitment to industrialisation, citing its potential to bring employment, income generation, improved internally generated revenue, development, and prosperity.
He said, “The state has achieved a lot in the area of social protection and welfare programs, which have benefited hundreds of thousands of people.”
The budget tagged, “Budget of Innovation & Transformation for Greater Jigawa,” is higher than the previous year’s 2023 estimate of ₦383.55 by 82%.
He explained that the budget’s expenditure components prioritise capital investment to drive innovation and transformation.
According to him “Personnel Cost is earmarked over N90.76 billion. While this represents only about 13% of the total proposed budget, surpassed the 2024 Approved Estimates by almost 40%. and Overheads and Other Recurrent Expenditure. For these, the sum of almost N63.69 billion was earmarked representing slightly over 9% of the total budge”
“While for Capital Investment programne the total financing
proposed for the capital projects and programme during the 2025 Fiscal Year is N534.76 billion equivalent to over 76% of the entire budget”
Key revenue sources include Statutory Allocation from the Federation Account: ₦34 billion, State Share of Value Added Tax (VAT): ₦80 billion and other Federal Transfers: ₦134.1 billion, comprising Forex Equalization, Exchange Gains, Solid and Non-Mineral Revenue Receipts, and Signature Bonuses.
Other sources include; Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): ₦130.68 billion, 2025 Opening Balance: ₦100 billion and Other Capital Receipts: ₦219.52 billion, including grants, SUKUK bonds, and expected loans from the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB).
Namadi reiterated that the budget reflects the state’s commitment to infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic transformation.
Education sector still retains the highest allocation of N 184 billion , representing 26.4% of the total budget for the 2025. Though relatively lower than the 32% allocation in the 2024 budget, the governor remarked that the allocated budget was “slightly above” the UNESCO recommended budgetary benchmark of 26% for the sector.
Similarly, the sum of N 136 billion was allocated to the agricultural sector as a whole, with the agricultural mechanization programne gulping the sum of N 13 billion and the state Agricultural Research Institute being allocated N 1.8 billion.
According the governor, recurrent expenditure for the 2025 stands at N 149.7 billion , representing 21.4% for the total budget estimate, while the sum of N536.7 billion or 77 % of the budgetary proposal has been earmarked for capital projects in the 2025 fiscal year.
The remaining balance of N 11.8 billion or 1.7 % the budget has been set aside for contingency and stabilization funds and public debt, he said.
Speaker state House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin assured the state Assembly’s commitment to ensure speedy passage of the bill for the development of the state which is in line with the 12-point agenda of the present administration.
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