By Sandra Micheals
The House of Representatives says it is ready to overhaul Nigeria’s planning and budgeting architecture through a high-level national policy dialogue.
Chairman House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, Gboyega Isiaka who disclosed this on behalf of the National Assembly joint committee, noted that a two-day dialogue has been scheduled for April 14 and 15, 2026, in Abuja.
He said the dialogue is designed to bridge longstanding gaps between national development plans and budget implementation—an issue widely seen as a major constraint to sustainable economic growth.
According to him, the initiative—organised in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of National Planning, and the Budget Office of the Federation—will focus on aligning Nigeria’s development agenda with its fiscal framework.
He stressed that Nigeria’s current growth rate of about 3.54 per cent remains insufficient to meet its long-term economic aspirations, particularly the 1 trillion dollar economy target, noting that growth must significantly outpace the country’s population increase, estimated at 2.7 per cent, to achieve meaningful progress.
Also speaking, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Budget and National Planning, Hon. Clement Jimbo, underscored the centrality of strategic planning to national development, warning that weak planning frameworks could continue to undermine economic progress.
He added that the dialogue would explore a range of options, including performance-based budgeting, with breakout sessions designed to enable MDAs to share experiences and propose reforms tailored to Nigeria’s context.
REPS/SAN
