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The House of Representatives has pledged to subject the proposed ₦1.75 trillion 2025 budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to rigorous scrutiny, insisting that every naira must translate into tangible development for oil-producing communities.
The assurance was given on Tuesday by the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, during the Commission’s budget defence session at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Ibori-Suenu stressed the need for strict budget discipline, noting that the NDDC budget remains the Federal Government’s primary instrument for delivering development interventions in the Niger Delta.
“Every line item in the 2025 budget must be purposeful, people-centred, and aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.
According to her, the significance of the NDDC budget goes beyond figures on paper.
“For the people of the Niger Delta, this budget represents hope, opportunity, and the promise of a better quality of life.
The 2025 NDDC budget must clearly address longstanding developmental gaps, promote sustainable growth, and ensure that no community is left behind.”
NDDC Presents ‘Budget of Consolidation’
Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, presented the Commission’s 2025 budget estimates, describing them as a “Budget of Consolidation.”
He said the proposal is designed to strengthen the foundation for sustainable economic growth across the Niger Delta, while consolidating ongoing reforms within the Commission.
Ogbuku expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, and the National Assembly for their support, noting that the current management has shifted the NDDC’s development model from a transactional to a transformational approach.
According to him, key interventions under the new strategy include:
- Youth skills training
- Entrepreneurship development
- Infrastructure expansion
- Economic empowerment initiatives
2024 Budget Performance
Providing an update on the Commission’s 2024 budget performance, Ogbuku disclosed that a total revenue of ₦1.91 trillion was projected to fund the 2024 “Budget of Renewed Hope.” This comprised:
- ₦76.77 billion for overhead costs
- ₦1.82 trillion for capital expenditure
He revealed that as of October 31, 2024, actual revenue stood at ₦0.95 trillion, exceeding the projected target.
“This improvement was largely due to the extension of the 2024 budget implementation period to December 31, 2025,” he explained.
2025 Budget Breakdown
For 2025, Ogbuku said the Commission is proposing a total expenditure of ₦1.75 trillion, representing a nine per cent reduction from the 2024 budget, driven by a non-borrowing fiscal strategy.
He outlined key cost components as follows:
- Personnel costs: ₦47.5 billion
- Overhead costs: ₦96.4 billion
Ogbuku added that management would continue reforms focused on cost efficiency and performance-based spending.
On capital projects, he said the Commission would prioritise critical infrastructure while expanding the use of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models to promote sustainable development across the region.
“We have moved away from line-item budgeting to sectoral allocation of funds to encourage efficiency, project continuity, and contractor confidence,” he said, adding that only activities tied to measurable programmes would receive approval.
He assured lawmakers of the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the National Assembly to deliver inclusive growth and improve the welfare of Niger Delta communities.
Background: Oversight Amid Past Budget Failures
The renewed resolve by lawmakers comes amid longstanding concerns over the NDDC’s budget performance. Over the years, the Commission has been plagued by weak implementation, abandoned projects, and allegations of mismanagement.
Several past budgets recorded low execution rates, while numerous projects across the Niger Delta remain incomplete despite repeated funding allocations.
Previous National Assembly investigations have highlighted significant gaps between budgetary provisions and actual project delivery, fuelling public distrust and increasing calls for stricter oversight.
Lawmakers have consistently maintained that enhanced scrutiny of the NDDC’s annual budgets is essential to restoring confidence and ensuring that development funds deliver real, measurable benefits to Niger Delta communities.
