Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto on Wednesday presented a proposed 2026 budget of N758.7 billion to the state house of assembly, with a focus on capital development, security, and social services.

Presenting the budget during plenary, the governor disclosed that the proposal consisted of 72 per cent capital expenditure and 28 per cent recurrent expenditure.

Mr Aliyu explained that the budget, tagged “Budget of Socio-Economic Expansion,” prioritised key sectors critical to improving the welfare of citizens and accelerating development across the state.

According to him, the health sector received the highest allocation of N122.7 billion, followed closely by the education sector with N115.9 billion, underscoring the government’s resolve to strengthen human capital development.

He further revealed that his administration accorded high priority to security, allocating N45.2 billion to support security restoration and address prevailing security challenges across the state.

The governor assured that the proposed budget would adequately fund programmes aimed at improving people’s living conditions and strengthening poverty-reduction initiatives.

While reviewing the performance of the 2025 budget, Mr Aliyu expressed appreciation to members of the assembly for their sustained support, which he said contributed significantly to the successes recorded by his administration.

He stated that the government had made remarkable progress in fulfilling its nine-point SMART Agenda for the state’s development.

“We have succeeded in embarking on the construction of over 100 roads across the state, where several are completed, and others are currently at completion stages,” Mr Aliyu stated.

He added that youth empowerment, infrastructure development, provision of social amenities, security, agriculture, and job creation have remained strong pillars of his administration’s achievements in recent years.

Mr Aliyu assured lawmakers of his administration’s readiness to continue working closely with the assembly, describing their cooperation as a landmark achievement of his government.

He also appreciated the people of Sokoto State for their sustained prayers and support, pledging to remain committed to inclusive governance and development.

In his response, the speaker of the House, Tukur Bala, commended the governor for the comprehensive and well-elaborated budget presentation and assured that the lawmakers would give the proposal due consideration to ensure its speedy passage. 

(NAN)