Governor Monday Okpebholo has presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill, valued at ₦939.85 billion, to the Edo State House of Assembly, outlining an ambitious fiscal plan aimed at accelerating development across the state.
Christened the “Budget of Hope and Growth,” the proposal represented a significant increase on the previous year’s estimate and aligned with the administration’s SHINE Agenda.
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The governor said the 2026 budget built on the “practical governance” foundation laid in 2025, supported by improved revenue performance and a firm commitment to people-centred development.
He disclosed that the budget prioritised physical and social infrastructure, with 68% of the total estimate—₦637 billion—allocated to capital expenditure, while ₦302 billionz or 32%, was earmarked for recurrent spending.
According to Okpebholo, the heavy capital investment would fast-track the construction of new roads and flyovers, the rehabilitation and upgrading of schools, the modernisation of healthcare facilities, and expanded investment in agriculture.
Security, he said, remained a top priority.
The governor highlighted the recruitment and training of 2,500 officers into the Edo State Security Corps and the enforcement of stricter laws to ensure the state was no longer a “safe haven for criminals.”
He explained that the 2026 fiscal plan remained anchored on the five pillars of the SHINE Agenda—security, health, infrastructure, natural resources/agriculture, and education—adding that agriculture and education would receive increased support to secure long-term prosperity for residents.
“This budget is designed to touch lives, grow the economy, and secure a better future for every Edo citizen. A new Edo has risen,” the governor declared.
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He added that key targets for the 2026 fiscal year included job creation initiatives, enhanced support for small businesses, and the completion of major infrastructure projects, including ongoing flyover constructions in Benin City.
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