The Senate said Nigerians should not expect the passage of the N49.7 trillion budget for the 2025 fiscal year before January 31.

It could be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had presented a budget of N49.7 trillion to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 18 and asked the lawmakers to expeditiously pass the appropriation bill for the 2025 fiscal year.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), told newsmen on Sunday in Abuja that budget defence by ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government would commence on January 7.

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Adaramodu also said the joint committees of the House of Representatives and the upper chamber on Appropriations would present the final report of the budget on January 31.

The appropriation bill has already scaled second reading at both chambers of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives).

Senator Adaramodu confirmed that “Joint Committees of Senate and House of Representatives will start meeting with MDAs on January 7.

The final report will be laid on 31st January.”