The Senate has once again extended the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, moving the deadline from September 30 to December 31, 2026.
The latest extension, which is the fourth amendment to the 2025 Appropriation Act, was approved during the Senate’s first plenary sitting after a two-month recess.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved the motion following an executive session and clause-by-clause consideration at the Committee of Supply.
Bamidele said the extension would create an administrative window for the Federal Government to complete capital projects for which funds had already been released, particularly projects at advanced stages of implementation.
The House of Representatives also approved the extension, moving the deadline for implementing the capital component of the 2025 budget to December 31, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Senate received President Bola Tinubu’s 2026 budget proposal for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the President’s communication during plenary before referring the proposal to the Senate Committee on Regional Development for consideration.
According to the President, the NDDC budget was prepared in line with constitutional requirements and based on the commission’s projected revenue and expenditure.
The proposal is expected to support interventions in youth empowerment, energy and power supply, education, healthcare, security, agricultural productivity and enterprise development across the Niger Delta region.
The Senate also considered several requests from the President for the confirmation of nominees to federal institutions.
Among them was the nomination of Dr Abdullahi Saidu as Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, alongside Mohammed Asmau, Mohammed Makama and Dr Suleiman Gidado as members of the commission’s board.
The nomination was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, which was given two weeks to submit its report.
Tinubu also nominated Sani Ndanusa as a non-career Ambassador and High Commissioner-designate to The Gambia. His nomination was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Another nomination, that of Engineer Wakili Bukar as a member of the Federal Civil Service Commission representing Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states, was referred to the Committee on Establishment.
The Senate further received two executive bills seeking legislative consideration.
One is the National Postgraduate Medical College Amendment Bill, 2026, which proposes changes to the institution’s name and powers, including the authority to award doctoral degrees in clinical medicine, dentistry and related disciplines.
The other is the National Research and Development Fund Establishment Bill, 2026, designed to consolidate research funding across government agencies into a unified competitive funding mechanism.
The Presidency said the proposed research fund would strengthen collaboration among universities, research institutions and the private sector while supporting the commercialisation of locally developed technologies.
The Senate was also informed that President Tinubu had assented to the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Amendment Bill, 2026, thereby making it law.
However, after completing the day’s legislative business, the Senate adjourned until October 13.
The chamber is scheduled to hold a security summit on October 12 and 13 before resuming plenary.
The development means the Senate’s return from its extended recess lasted just one plenary sitting before lawmakers proceeded on another break.
The National Assembly had earlier shifted its resumption from September 15 to September 29 to allow for the completion of rehabilitation work in the legislative chambers.
