Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has presented a N1.39 trillion budget for 2026 to the State House of Assembly, announcing a significant 16 percent reduction from the expanded N1.65 trillion revised budget for 2025, an austerity-leaning move he says is aimed at stabilising spending, curbing inflationary pressures, and funding growth without borrowing.
Christened “The People’s Budget of Expansion and Growth,” the proposal maintains the state’s tradition of high capital investment, allocating 75% (N1.035 trillion) to capital projects and 25% (N354.867 billion) to recurrent expenditure. While still robust, the capital vote is lower than the inflation-driven surge recorded in the 2025 supplementary budget.
Governor Eno told lawmakers that the 2026 estimates were shaped directly by citizens’ priorities gathered from statewide Town Square Meetings across all 10 federal constituencies, emphasising that next year’s spending will “focus on projects with direct citizen inputs.”
Infrastructure, Health, Education Dominate Spending
A breakdown of the capital vote shows:
N387.5 billion for roads and infrastructure
N136.1 billion for health
N31.6 billion for education
The governor noted that increased federal allocations following the removal of fuel subsidy have strengthened states’ capacity to fund both recurrent and capital programmes without resorting to borrowing. “I urge you to quickly pass this budget so we may continue to work for our people,” he said.
Eno highlighted sweeping initiatives in agriculture, rural development, SMEs, healthcare, tourism, sports, and security. He disclosed that 69,107 farmers have benefitted from the state’s agricultural programmes, while 13,060 registered farmers have received processing equipment.
A major agricultural thrust for 2026 is the planned palm tree crop revolution, designed to generate long-term wealth for rural households. The government, he said, will participate in large-scale palm planting and guarantee off-take for farmers. He also announced that tractors have already been procured for the state’s tractor-leasing company, which is set for commissioning in December.
Reaffirming his administration’s decentralisation strategy, the governor said the government will continue the “one project per local government area” model, strictly guided by needs-assessment reports. This approach aligns with the 2025 supplementary budget, which prioritised erosion control, emergency works, and rural infrastructure.
Capital receipts for 2026 are projected at N1.035 trillion, comprising N791.978 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and N243.155 billion from other capital sources. This contrasts with the state’s 2025 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, which was expanded from N980 billion to N1.7 trillion due to rising national economic pressures.
Responding, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Elder Udeme Otong, praised the governor for presenting a budget anchored on the ARISE Agenda and commended his pledge to remodel the Assembly complex.
He assured that the House will conduct a detailed review of the budget to “eliminate waste, prevent duplication, and ensure that projects that uplift citizens are prioritised.”
“Our aim is not merely to approve figures,” the Speaker said, “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.”