Benue Governor Presents N550bn 2025 Budget Focused On Development, Sustainability  

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has unveiled a proposed N550 billion budget for 2025, titled the “Budget of Human Capital Development, Food Security, and Digital Economy.”

The budget represents a 47.5% increase from the 2024 revised budget and is aimed at advancing infrastructure, education, health, and economic development in the state.

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Speaking to the State Assembly on Wednesday, Governor Alia emphasized the commitment to avoiding unnecessary debt, stating that the proposed borrowing of N26 billion is a conservative plan, amounting to just 4.7% of the total expenditure.

The budget allocates N174 billion for recurrent expenditure, including salaries and overheads, while N375 billion is earmarked for capital expenditure, reflecting a 71.5% increase over the previous year.

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Sectoral allocations include N212 billion for administration, N197 billion for the economy, N83 billion each for education and health, N84 billion for agriculture, and N110 billion for infrastructure. Other areas of focus are security (N47 billion), commerce (N59 billion), and the digital economy (N19 billion).

Governor Alia reiterated the state’s fiscal discipline, ensuring that debt remains below the 25% debt-to-GDP sustainability threshold, while prioritizing development and welfare for the people of Benue.