NASS Resumes as 2026 Budget, Electoral Reforms Take Centre Stage

NASS Resumes as 2026 Budget, Electoral Reforms Take Centre Stage

The National Assembly of Nigeria has officially resumed plenary with two critical issues dominating its agenda: the scrutiny of President Bola Tinubu’s ₦58.47 trillion 2026 budget proposal and the advancement of electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele emphasized that both the Senate and the House of Representatives are committed to devoting substantial time to these matters, which are seen as pivotal to Nigeria’s economic stability and democratic development.

Committees across both chambers had already begun examining the revenue and expenditure components of the budget, which was presented to a joint sitting of the National Assembly on December 18, 2025.

The proposal is designed to consolidate economic gains from previous years, restore the January-to-December fiscal calendar, and strengthen macroeconomic stability. Bamidele highlighted that the 2025 Tax Reform Act has restructured Nigeria’s fiscal framework, easing burdens on low-income earners while placing greater obligations on wealthier citizens. This reform, he noted, is expected to reduce budget deficits and improve funding prospects.

Beyond fiscal matters, electoral reforms are being prioritized to ensure credible, transparent, and secure elections in 2027. Lawmakers are reviewing the Electoral Act of 2022 clause by clause, with the proposed Electoral Bill of 2025 introducing over twenty significant changes.

These include voting rights for inmates, early release of election funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electronically generated voter identification, real-time transmission of results, uniform delegates for indirect primaries, stricter voter registration rules, and tougher penalties for electoral offences. The reforms are intended to eliminate impunity and strengthen Nigeria’s electoral governance framework.

In addition, the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution is nearing completion. Technical consultations and public hearings have been conducted, and the final report is expected to be laid before the Senate by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Any amendments will require approval from at least two-thirds of the thirty-six state Houses of Assembly, underscoring the importance of state legislatures in the constitutional process.

With only sixteen months remaining in the tenure of the 10th National Assembly, lawmakers are intensifying efforts to deliver reforms that will impact governance, elections, and economic development.

Bamidele stressed that at this critical juncture, the responsibility of reinforcing public trust in the National Assembly and in Nigeria as a whole is greater than ever, given the global economic and political forces influencing the nation’s trajectory.

This resumption signals a decisive phase in Nigeria’s legislative calendar, where economic consolidation and democratic reforms are set to shape the country’s future.