The Appropriation and Implementation Committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly has convened a public hearing on the 2026 budget draft estimate at the Honourable Members’ Common Room, Lugard Hall Complex.
The hearing forms a crucial part of the budget formulation process, providing a platform for stakeholders to present their observations and recommendations.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation and Implementation, Shehu Yunus Panbegwa, emphasised that the hearing is a mandatory phase in the budget exercise aimed at gathering inputs from civil society organisations, the general public, and development partners.
These inputs will be carefully reviewed during subsequent budget defence sessions with various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The committee chairman reaffirmed that “the Governor’s 2026 budget presentation identified five priority areas, which have guided submissions from civil society groups.”
These organisations urged greater consideration of those priorities to enhance the budget’s impact.
Key highlights from the hearing included discussions on the education and health sectors. On education, it was noted that Kaduna State allocates 26% of its budget to education, surpassing the Abuja Declaration’s recommendation of 15%. However, concerns were raised regarding overheads for teachers and other educational needs, suggesting areas where improvements are necessary.
The health sector, however, witnessed a slight decline in allocation from 16% in the previous year to 14.6% in the 2026 draft. The committee pledged to review this during budget defence sessions to ensure that health allocations are justified and adequate.
Speaking after the hearing, Adejo Ebel, a consultant with the Policy and Citizens Initiative, highlighted significant observations regarding the draft budget.
He stressed the importance of prioritising recommendations focused on youth empowerment, considering the state’s large youth population.
Reinvigorate youth
According to Ebel, aligning the budget more closely with civil society inputs on youth issues could reinvigorate youth engagement in 2026 and beyond.
Ebel also pointed out that some budget allocations were not cash-backed and listed as zero, calling for these to be reprioritised to improve fiscal performance.
In addition, he urged the committee and the House to reconsider and increase the health sector’s budget to meet or exceed the Abuja Declaration’s 15% benchmark.
Further, Ebel emphasised maintaining the education budget at the 2025 level to ensure consistency, especially in areas such as teacher recruitment, classroom materials, and student support. While acknowledging some capital projects have received cash backing, he called for more significant improvements in these critical sectors.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly’s public hearing serves as an important mechanism to promote transparency and inclusiveness in the budget process, ensuring that the 2026 budget better addresses the developmental needs of the state.
The committee will now deliberate on the inputs received and engage with MDAs to refine the final budget proposal.
Lateefah Ibrahim