WorldStage Newsonline– President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has made national defence, internal security, local job creation and macro-economic stability as the main focus of the proposed N27.5trn budget 2024 tagged Budget of Renewed Hope.
While presenting the budget to the National Assembly for approval on Wednesday, he said that the budget was made up of N9.92 trillion non-debt recurrent expenditure and N8.7 trillion capital expenditure, while N8.25 trillion was for debt service.
“Accordingly, an aggregate expenditure of N27.5 trillion is proposed for the Federal Government in 2024, of which the non-debt recurrent expenditure is N9.92 trillion, while debt service is projected to be N8.25 trillion and capital expenditure is N8.7 trillion.
‘’Nigeria remains committed to meeting its debt obligations. Projected debt service is 45 per cent of the expected total revenue.
“The budget deficit is projected at N9.18 trillion in 2024 or 3.88 per cent of GDP. This is lower than the N13.78 trillion deficit recorded in 2023, which represented 6.11 per cent of GDP.
‘’The deficit will be financed by new borrowings totaling N7.83 trillion, N298.49 billion from Privatization Proceeds, and N1.05 trillion draw down on multilateral and bilateral loans secured for specific development projects,” Tinubu said.
He said that the budget would also place priority on investment environment optimisation, human capital development, poverty reduction and social security.
Tinubu said the nation’s internal security architecture would be overhauled to enhance law enforcement capabilities with a view to safeguarding lives, property, and investments across the country.
He said that the budget prioritised human capital development, with particular attention given to children, because human capital remains the most critical resource for national development.
“To improve the effectiveness of our budget performance, the government will focus on ensuring value for money, greater transparency, and accountability. In this regard, we will work more closely with development partners and the private sector.
“To address long-standing issues in the education sector, a more sustainable model of funding tertiary education will be implemented, including the Student Loan Scheme scheduled to become operational by January 2024,” the President said.
On the economy, Tinubu said a stable macro-economic environment was crucial in his administration’s bid to catalyse private investment and accelerate economic growth.
He said that the government would continue to implement business and investment friendly measures for sustainable growth.
“We expect the economy to grow by a minimum of 3.76 per cent, above the forecasted world average. Inflation is expected to moderate to 21.4 per cent in 2024. ‘’In preparing the 2024 Budget, our primary objective has been to sustain our robust foundation for sustainable economic development.
‘’A critical focus of this budget and the medium-term expenditure framework is Nigeria’s commitment to a greener future.
“Emphasizing public-private partnerships, we have strategically made provisions to leverage private capital for big-ticket infrastructure projects in energy, transportation, and other sectors. This marks a critical step towards diversifying our energy mix, enhancing efficiency, and fostering the development of renewable energy sources,’’ he said.
Tinubu added: ‘’By allocating resources to support innovative and environmentally conscious initiatives, we aim to position Nigeria as a regional leader in the global movement towards clean and sustainable energy.
“As we approach the COP28 climate summit, a pivotal moment for global climate action, I have directed relevant government agencies to diligently work towards securing substantial funding commitments that will bolster Nigeria’s energy transition.
‘’It is imperative that we seize this opportunity to attract international partnerships and investments that align with our national goals.
‘’I call upon our representatives to engage proactively to showcase the strides we have made in the quest to create an enabling environment for sustainable energy projects.
“Together, we will strive for Nigeria to emerge from COP28 with tangible commitments, reinforcing our dedication to a future where energy is not only a catalyst for development but also a driver of environmental stewardship.”
The President said a conservative oil price benchmark of 77.96 dollars per barrel and a daily oil production estimate of 1.78 million barrels per day were adopted after a review of global oil market trends, and that a naira to dollar exchange rate of N750 per dollar was adopted for 2024 as well.
Tinubu said his administration remains committed to broad-based and shared economic prosperity.
“We are reviewing social investment programmes to enhance their implementation and effectiveness. In particular, the National Social Safety Net project will be expanded to provide targeted cash transfers to poor and vulnerable households.”
He also said efforts would be made to further contain financial leakages through the effective implementation of key public financial management reforms.
The President commended the patriotic resolve of the 10th National Assembly to collaborate with the Executive on the mission to renew the hope of Nigerians and deliver on the promises made to Africa’s largest population.
“As you consider the 2024 Budget estimates, we trust that the legislative review process will be conducted with a view to sustaining our desired return to a predictable January-December fiscal year.
‘’I have no doubt that you will be guided by the interest of all Nigerians. We must ensure that only projects and programmes with equitable benefits are allowed into the 2024 Budget.
‘’Additionally, only projects and programmes that are in line with the sectoral mandates of MDAs and those which are capable of realizing the vision of our administration should be included in the budget,” the President said.
