The Federal Government has increased the 2026 national budget to N58.18 trillion, following a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to recruit additional personnel across key security agencies.
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The Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Malam Tanimu Yakubu, revealed the new budget size after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held on Friday. The disclosure came ahead of the President’s formal presentation of the 2026 budget to the National Assembly.
The revised figure represents an upward adjustment from the earlier proposed N54.46 trillion, with the increase largely driven by the need to fund new intakes into the armed forces, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies. The expansion will cover salaries, logistics, and other related obligations tied to the recruitment exercise.
President Tinubu approved the fresh enlistment as part of efforts to strengthen national security, a decision that made a comprehensive review of the budget inevitable.
A source at the Presidency explained that all ministries had already submitted their budget proposals before the directive on security recruitment was issued. However, the development required a reassessment of the overall spending framework to reflect the new financial demands.
The source added that due to limited time, the council did not engage in extensive deliberations on the budget during the meeting. As a result, the government opted for the immediate transmission of the budget to the National Assembly, a move aimed at demonstrating its resolve to secure early legislative approval.
