THE people of Benue State are expecting significant improvements in their lives with the recently signed 2026 budget of N695 billion. The budget prioritizes rural development, livelihood support, and sustained economic growth, with a focus on connecting farms to markets, schools, and hospitals. The budget, christened, “Budget of Rural Development, Livelihood Support and Sustained Growth,” aims to reposition the state’s economy and improve living standards.
GOVERNOR Hyacinth Alia’s administration allocated 30.23% of the capital budget to rural roads, feeder roads, and bridges. This move is expected to unlock rural productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and stimulate local commerce. The budget also focuses on education, health, digital skills, and youth empowerment, with investments in school infrastructure, teacher recruitment, and digital training.
THE approved budget is N89.5 billion higher than the original N605.5 billion presented by Governor Alia, demonstrating the Assembly’s commitment to enhancing development initiatives. Key areas of focus include: Sustained Growth Agenda, with focus on Education and Health Sector investment, Infrastructure for Long-Term Competitiveness, as well as innovation and Digital Transformation. These account for 55.66% allocation.
RURAL Development with attention on rural electrification, water supply, environmental protection, agriculture and agro-industrial development took 30.23% of the allocation while livelihood Support, which focuses on social protection programmes, MSMEs growth and cooperative development has14.11% allocation.
WITH all the executive and legislative processes already concluded, the people of the state expect improved rural infrastructure, such as better roads, bridges, and water supply, to enhance rural productivity and quality of life. Equally important is an agricultural boost through subsidized inputs, mechanization, and agro-processing facilities to support farmers and stimulate local commerce.
OTHER expectations of the people include education and healthcare, focusing on investments in school infrastructure, teacher recruitment, and healthcare facilities to improve human capital development, as well as the expected creation of over 1,000 jobs in agro-industrial projects and other sectors.
ON environmental sustainability, the people of the state also expect to see increased funding for climate-related challenges, watershed protection, and environmental protection.
WE are also optimistic that the budget would end rural neglect through massive investment in feeder roads, establish new state-of-the-art markets, construct BSU Engineering Faculty, upgrade secondary and technical schools as well as primary school renovation.
THE budget is expected to upgrade a general hospital in Zone A to a specialist hospital. Rural electrification, water supply, digital economy, public safety, social protection policies for vulnerable citizens, job training, and support should also be in the front burner.
IT should also transform Benue’s rural foundation, create wealth, improve livelihoods, and build a vibrant, self-sufficient state economy, fulfilling the promise of sustained growth and improved quality of life for all citizens, especially in rural areas.
WHILE the Benue State government and House of Assembly emphasize fiscal discipline and focus on rural development, some local concerns and potential “lapses” identified by critics revolve around the budget’s feasibility and specific project execution challenges such as budget size increase, project delays and execution, funding for new bureaus, lack of verifiable data, salary and pension arrears.
WE therefore urge the Benue State government to strengthening audit and procurement processes, avoid extra-budgetary expenditures, step up Internally Generated Revenue, and ensure public accountability and transparency.
THE Voice equally calls on citizens, civil society groups, and the media to see the budget as an invitation to partnership and remain engaged and informed about the progress being made. This collective responsibility would help ensure the budget’s success is measured by its impact on the lives of residents.
THE popular adage which says, “When the leading frog falls into a pit, the followers take precaution”, should be the watchword of the present administration. Noticeable lapses in the implementation of Benue State’s 2025 budget, including low capital expenditure performance, overwhelming insecurity challenges, transparency concerns, procurement and funding issues should be taken care of ahead of the implementation of 2026 budget.
