From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has unveiled the 2025 Budget, titled the “Budget of Recovery and Continuity,” with a total of ₦584.76 billion aimed at advancing the state’s development.
According to Comrade Dauda Iliya, the governor’s spokesperson, the budget emphasizes health, education, and economic recovery, alongside investments in security, infrastructure, and social services.
It allocates ₦380.84 billion for Capital Expenditure and ₦203.92 billion for Recurrent Expenditure, funded through ₦311.70 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), ₦30.09 billion from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and ₦237.96 billion in Capital Receipts, including grants and development funds.
The health sector, which received ₦89.97 billion (15.39% of the budget), will see major projects such as the construction of an Orthopaedic Hospital in Maiduguri, new general hospitals across several localities, and the rehabilitation of existing facilities.
The state also plans to complete and commission the Borno State University Teaching Hospital, expand the State Health Insurance Scheme, and revitalize 100 primary health care centers, with additional plans for construction and upgrades.
In education, which was allocated ₦69.81 billion, the state aims to establish a Second Chance School, construct five Mega Schools and five Mega High Islamic Schools, and rehabilitate facilities in 50 schools across Borno.
Additionally, ₦10 billion has been earmarked to procure food items to combat food insecurity, alongside efforts to cultivate 150,000 hectares of farmland for rain-fed and irrigation farming.
Governor Zulum emphasized the state’s commitment to stimulating local economic activities, supporting small businesses, and attracting investments. He noted that ₦22 billion had been released for victim support and reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by insurgency, including roads, bridges, schools, and healthcare facilities.
Other major projects include the establishment of a Maiduguri Dry Port, dualization of a 7.1-kilometer stretch of Maiduguri-Biu Road, construction of a 6-span bridge across River Ngaddabul, and modernization of Borno Radio and Television (BRTV).
Reaffirming his administration’s dedication to addressing challenges, Governor Zulum highlighted progress in clearing pension and gratuity backlogs, implementing a ₦72,000 minimum wage for civil servants, and supporting disaster recovery efforts.
He pledged to ensure recovery, continuity, and resilience for the state, aiming for a stable and prosperous future.
Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, commended the governor for his leadership, particularly in resettling victims of Boko Haram insurgency, and highlighted the legislature’s passage of 12 laws to promote good governance.
He praised the harmonious relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government, noting its positive impact on the lives of Borno residents.