Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Federal Government plans to implement 30% of the 2025 capital budget by the end of November, with the remaining 70% rolled over into 2026 to ensure project continuity. This directive mandates compliance with procurement rules by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Doris Uzoka-Anite, emphasized that capital payments must align with the Public Procurement Act and that sufficient funds are available for settling obligations. The Accountant-General, Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, confirmed that warrants have been issued and the 30% implementation will begin soon. Previous reports indicated significant funding shortfalls, as only N834.80bn was released to MDAs in the first seven months of 2025, far below the N18.53tn appropriated for the year.

Nigerian students under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Education Agreement are staging a protest due to unpaid scholarship stipends, which have reached 11 months in arrears. They claim the government has reduced their monthly allowance from $500 to $220 and still owes payments for September to December 2023. Many students are struggling to afford basic needs, and some have taken informal jobs, violating scholarship terms. The protest will occur at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja. The government announced the termination of the BEA program, citing it as an unsustainable use of public funds, while redirecting resources to domestic scholarships. Current beneficiaries will be allowed to finish their programs, but no new admissions will be accepted post-2025.

Nigeria's Federal Government plans to increase borrowing despite a 40.5% surge in revenue for the first eight months of 2025, driven by gains in non-oil revenue collections. The country's fiscal performance from January to August 2025 saw total collections reach a record N20.59tn, surpassing the N14.6tn collected in 2024. However, Nigeria still faces funding gaps in crucial sectors such as infrastructure, with low capital spending. To address these gaps, the government plans to borrow locally and domestically. The World Bank is expected to approve loans totaling $1.75bn before the end of the year to support key development projects in Nigeria, including agriculture, health, and digital infrastructure. Major projects set to benefit from this financial backing include the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth project, Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth, Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa, Nigeria – Phase II, and Fostering Inclusive Finance for MSMEs in Nigeria. These projects comprise the $1.75bn in loans expected to be approved by the World Bank before the end of the year.