REPORTER: BEN ILECHUKWU
Anambra State Government has presented a budget of over N757billion for 2026 fiscal year.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo who presented the bill to the State House of Assembly, noted that the over N757billion appropriation bill exceeded the 2025 draft budget of N606,991,849,118.
The bill christened “Changing Gears 3.0: “Solution continues” relative to 2025, has a capital expenditure oft N595.3billion naira representing 26.6% of growth proposal while the recurrent expenditure of N162.6billion naira accounts for 16.6% year-on-year growth, amounting to 24.1 percent increase when compared to 2025 budget.
Relative to 2025, all key sectors have significant increases ranging from the Administrative sector with 12.2%, economic sector 26.7%; Social Sector 31.4% Education 46.85%, Health 13.0%); and Infrastructure investment 27.7% among others.
According to the Governor, the 2026 budget, described as a Budget of Recovery, Consolidation, and Acceleration,reflects his administrations priorities in strengthening human capital, boosting economic growth, expanding critical infrastructure, and securing the well-being of the citizens.
Professor Soludo, who restated his determination to transform Anambra State into a livable and prosperous smart megacity that would be the preferred destination to live, invest and work, noted that his administration had achieved milestone in the areas of infrastructure, education, health and youth development programmes.
The Governor who explained that the proposed 2026 budget with an estimated deficit of N225.7billion , represents 29.8 percent of the total budget size, also emphasized that his administration has not borrowed to fund any budget deficit since inception of his administration.
Earlier, the Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze, remarked that the Governor had taken great steps towards moving the state to greater heights through his transformation agenda as demonstrated in the education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture ,power and water and youth initiative as well as improved security network.
Meanwhile, the budget had already passed through first reading and subject to further scrutiny and consideration by the legislature.
