President Muhammadu Buhari on
Tuesday afternoon presented the 2018 budget to a joint session of the National
Assembly.
The session is moderated by
Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Yakubu Dogara.
Follow us for live updates of the
budget presentation.
It gives us great delight to see
you (Buhari) in person, Saraki says in his opening remarks after the Christian
and Muslim prayers
We must continue to work together
to steady the ship of this (economic) recovery – Saraki
We must ensure that our borrowing
is targeted at productive projects – Saraki
Implementation of the 2018 budget
must anchor on the Made in Nigeria project – Saraki
The current rate of rural to
urban migration is alarming and unsustainable – Saraki
It is pleasing to note that the
budget is been presented early. This is a welcome development – Saraki
Immediate steps must be taken to
make the 2018 budget an employment-oriented one – Saraki
Saraki concludes speech, invites
President Buhari to present budget.
President Buhari thanks all
Nigerians for support and prayers while he was on medical vacation.
The 2018 budget will consolidate
on the achievements of previous budget – Buhari
2018 is expected to be a year of
better outcomes – Buhari
Only tailored Nigerian solutions
can fix Nigeria’s unique problems – Buhari
Crop production has been one of
the main contributors to non-oil growth which rose to 0.45 per cent – Buhari
Bitumen exploration in Ondo is
being executed – Buhari
We all want a country that is
safe, stable, and secure, Buhari on threats in Niger Delta
A GDP growth of 9 percent is
expected in the 2018 budget, says President Buhari
Higher crude oil price supported
our economic recovery in 2017 – Muhammadu Buhari
Ogoni clean up is ongoing and
being supported by international community – Buhari
Despite the downturn in oil
prices …. this administration was able to invest an unprecedented over N1.2
trillion in capital budgets through the 2016 budget – Buhari
We have asked the SWF to look
inwards and invest locally – Buhari
As at October 30, 2017, our
external reserves increased to $34 billion – Buhari
President Buhari noted that the
administration through its logical and user friendly reforms has been able to
move the country on the ranking of countries in ease of doing business from 169
in 2016 and recently to 146.
In 2016, this administration
started allocating at least 30 per cent of our budget to capital expenditure.
This is being maintained – Buhari
We have pushed the Abuja rail
project to 98 per cent completion in 18 months from 40 per cent – Buhari
Contractors were being owed
trillions of Naira when this administration came into power. In some, we have
made payments while in others we are assessing the liabilities – Buhari
Our power sector reform still
remains a work in progress – Buhari
The FG will be launching the
first African Sovereign Trade Bond in December 2017 – Buhari
Over 766km were constructed or
rehabilitated across the country in 2017 – Buhari
We have spent time in identifying
alternative means of funding capital projects in the 2017 budget. For example,
the N100 billion Sukuk financing for construction of 25 roads across the
country – Buhari
President Buhari noted that the
country has grown tremendously its power generation sector but still has
challenges in areas of distribution
In sourcing for alternative means
of power, we have signed agreement with 14 solar companies – Buhari
We have purchased 10 locomotives
and two coaches for the Abuja-Kaduna rail line…we plan to commission this in
December 2017.
Food security is an important
aspect of this administration’s security agenda – Buhari
Anybody involved with food
smuggling is a threat to our national security and will therefore be dealt with
– Buhari
The President said 6 crop
processing zones will be established in 2018 to develop infrastructure for
production and processing of crops
President Buhari bemoaned the
practice of under remittance of revenue by state-owned entities
This year we have worked very
hard to achieve an earlier submission of the MTEF and the 2018 appropriation
bill – Buhari
N2.442 trillion oil revenue
projected for 2018 – Buhari
There will be privatisation of
some non-oil assets, the president explains.
Agencies are not to conduct
recruitment without all necessary approvals. Any violations will be sanctioned
– Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on
Tuesday formally presented an N8.6 trillion 2018 budget to a joint session of
the National Assembly.
Dubbed the ‘budget of
consolidation,’ the budget was about 16 per cent increase from the N7.44 trillion
appropriated in 2017.
Mr. Buhari announced that the
budget is projected at an oil price of $45 per barrel and an estimate of 2.3
million barrels per day.
He added that the budget is
further projected on an exchange rate of N305 to $1, a real Gross Domestic
Growth of 3.5 per cent and inflation rate of 12.4 per cent.
At present, domestic debts
account for about 79% of the total debt. We will reduce this to 60% in 2018 and
increase external to 40%.
Our commitment to the security of
lives and property remain absolute – Buhari
The President said 9.8 billion
Naira will be set aside for the Mambilla power project and N300 billion for
construction and rehabilitation roads.
Budget provision to the Niger
Delta Development Commission has increased from N53.89 billion from N34.2
billion in 2017.
We will increase our focus on
cybercrime and abuse of social media through hate speech – Buhari
I appeal to you to swiftly
consider and pass the 2018 Appropriation Bill – Buhari
I thank you most sincerely for
your attention, may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Buhari
says as he ends his speech.
Speaker Dogara gives the Vote of
Thanks.
Dogara called for unity between
the Executive and the Legislature.
Although recession has
technically ended, most Nigerian families are still struggling – Dogara
Dogara noted that preparation of
the 2018 budget kicked off on a note of poor relationship between the
Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and the National Assembly. He said he
hopes this won’t affect the passage and implementation of the budget.
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