Fubara Signs Rivers State N1.84 Trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill Into Law
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has signed the state’s N1.84 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, setting the framework for government spending and development activities in the 2026 fiscal year.
The governor assented to the bill on Thursday at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, shortly after the Rivers State House of Assembly approved the appropriation bill.
The 2026 budget, titled the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” is expected to determine the state’s financial priorities and guide the implementation of key programmes and projects throughout the year.
Speaking after signing the appropriation bill, Fubara expressed optimism that the development would usher in a fresh phase of cooperation and development between the executive and legislative arms of the Rivers State Government.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to pursuing policies and programmes that would advance the interests of Rivers State, while assuring members of the House of Assembly that he was prepared to sustain a cordial relationship with the lawmakers.
Fubara also expressed appreciation for the circumstances that enabled the passage and signing of the 2026 budget, specifically acknowledging the intervention of former Rivers governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The governor said the development represented the beginning of what he hoped would become a healthier working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government.
Earlier, Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule disclosed that lawmakers had made adjustments to some components of the governor’s proposed budget before approving the final appropriation.
One of the notable changes involved the N6 billion allocation proposed for PAMO University of Medical Sciences, a privately owned institution whose beneficiaries include Rivers indigenes receiving government scholarships.
Amaewhule said the Assembly reduced the allocation after the university failed to provide satisfactory explanations concerning the utilisation of funds previously released to it. He also disclosed that the institution did not send representatives to appear before the lawmakers during the consideration of the provision.
The Speaker explained that part of the allocation was subsequently transferred to the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, describing the adjustment as part of the Assembly’s oversight responsibilities.
Amaewhule maintained that the review was intended to promote accountability and ensure that public funds were utilised in ways that directly benefit residents of Rivers State.
The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Major Jack, described the 2026 appropriation as an ambitious budget, adding that lawmakers subjected the estimates presented by the executive to detailed scrutiny before approving the final figure.
PulseNets learnt that the Rivers State 2026 budget is expected to be financed through N487.6 billion in Internally Generated Revenue, N936.052 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, N48 billion in opening and closing balances, N50 billion in proposed internal loans and N25 billion expected from asset sales.
The expenditure plan provides N262 billion for agriculture, N625.8 billion for the economic sector, N65 billion for law and justice, and N435.4 billion for the social sector.
- PulseNets also learnt that the Rivers State House of Assembly approved N1.4 trillion for capital expenditure under the 2026 appropriation, while N1.4 billion was recommended for the Primary Health Management Board to reconstruct its facility located on Accra Street.
The allocation to PAMO University of Medical Sciences became one of the major areas of contention during the consideration of the Rivers State 2026 budget.
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Lawmakers questioned the size of the allocation and demanded greater clarification on how previous funds had been utilised. The issue became more contentious after a commissioner reportedly wrote to the Assembly requesting that the provision be increased from N6 billion to N8 billion, arguing that the initial allocation was insufficient.
Fubara had presented a proposed 2026 budget of N1,854,248,734,475 to the Rivers State House of Assembly in July.
The proposal represented a 24.5 per cent increase compared with the state’s revised 2025 financial estimates and was presented as a framework for driving growth, development and resilience across Rivers State.
