National Assembly and executive commit to closing gaps in Nigeria's budgeting and development planning

The National Assembly and Nigeria's executive arm of government have pledged to collaborate more closely to address long-standing issues in the country's budgeting process and national development planning framework. This commitment was made during a two-day National Policy Dialogue in Abuja, which focused on reforms to align fiscal policy with national development priorities. The event was organized by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on National Planning and Economic Affairs/Development in partnership with the Office of the Vice President, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Ministry of Finance, and the Budget Office of the Federation. Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, commended lawmakers for supporting reforms introduced by the administration of Bola Tinubu, emphasizing that national planning is constitutionally mandated. Gboyega Isiaka, Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, highlighted the need for collective action across all government arms to bridge the gap between planning and budgeting. Musa Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs, stressed the importance of aligning development plans with budgetary commitments, noting that a persistent disconnect has hindered growth. He stated that the administration aims to foster a performance-driven culture to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030, supported by initiatives like the Renewed Hope