BREAKING: FG consults national assembly, set to reduce 2020 budget

Zainab Ahmed, the minister for finance, budget and national planning, is consulting the national assembly for the revisions to be made to the 2020 budget.

Ahmed is currently meeting with the leadership of the national assembly with Clem Agba, the minister of state for budget and national planning; and Ben Akabueze, the director-general of the Budget Office.

A drop in crude oil prices and weakened demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a revision of the appropriation act.

“Presidential Fiscal Stimulus Committee members led by Minister @ZShamsuna at the National Assembly on a consultative meeting with the leaders of @nassnigeria. Discussions include #Covid19 measures, oil decline & Nigerian budget review amongst others,” a post on the official Twitter handle of the ministry read.

The federal government had earlier proposed to cut the 2020 budget size by N1.5 trillion from N10.59 trillion to N9.09 trillion.

Ahmed had also said the benchmark oil price for 2020 would be cut to $30/barrel from $57 and oil production to 1.7mbpd.

“We have similarly had to adjust downwards our non-oil revenue projections including various tax and customs receipts, as well as proceeds of privatisation exercises,” she had said on Monday while announcing the COVID-19 economic stimulus package.

“In this regard, the Budget Office is currently working on a revised 2020 – 2022 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework / Fiscal Strategy Paper (‘MTEF/FSP’) as well as an Amendment to the 2020 Appropriation Act.”

Any revisions to the 2020 budget would have to be approved by the national assembly.