The National Assembly has demanded the withdrawal of all circulars previously issued for contract awards under the 2025 fiscal year.
This resolution comes as the implementation of the N23.9 trillion capital component of the 2025 budget is set to begin soon and is expected to extend into 2026.
The decision was reached on Thursday during a meeting between the Joint Committee on Appropriations and the President’s economic team at the National Assembly.
In attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamsudeen Ogunjimi.
The session, DAILY POST reports, was convened to review the performance of the 2024 budget and assess the implementation of the N54.9 trillion 2025 budget.
According to the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi, the Ministry of Finance’s circular stopping MDAs from awarding contracts until an Authority to Incur Expenditure, AIE, is issued will be cancelled.
Bichi further explained that the 2025 budget implementation would begin immediately, with AIEs to be issued within seven days.
The lawmakers also extended the implementation period of the 2024 budget to December 2025, a resolution adopted by the joint committee chaired by Senator Adeola Olamilekan.
