Gov. Umo Eno presents N1.39 Trn Budget Proposal for 2026 To State Legislature

By Dianabasi Effiong

Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom on Tuesday in Uyo presented a N1.39 trillion budget proposal for 2026 to the State House of Assembly.

Titled “The People’s Budget of Expansion and Growth,” the proposal marked a 16 per cent reduction from the revised N1.65 trillion budget for 2025.

Seventy five per cent of the proposal (N1.035 trillion) is allocated to capital projects and 25 per cent (N354.867 billion) was budgeted for recurrent expenditure for the fiscal year.

The governor saidvt that the 2026 budget reflected citizens’ priorities, gathered through statewide Town Square Meetings across all 10 federal constituencies.

“Next year’s spending will focus on projects with direct citizen input,” he said.

A breakdown of the capital vote shows N387.5 billion allocated for roads and infrastructure, N136.1 billion for health, and N31.6 billion for education.

He urged the State House of Assembly to “quickly pass this budget so we may continue to work for our people.”

In his response to the governor’s oresentstion, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Elder Udeme Otong, praised the governor for anchoring the budget on the ARISE Agenda.

He also assured that the House would conduct a detailed scrutiny of the proposal to “eliminate waste, prevent duplication, and ensure that projects that uplift citizens are prioritised.

Otong said, “Our aim is not merely to approve figures, but to ensure efficient allocation of resources. With continued collaboration between the Executive and Legislature, Akwa Ibom is on the path to unprecedented growth and prosperity.”