As Imo State prepares for the implementation of its 2026 budget, concerns are already emerging following the poor implementation of the 2025 budget, both in Imo State and across Nigeria.
This was one of the key issues raised by Chimezie Ebosie, the Imo State Officer of BudgIT Foundation, during his interview on our programme today. According to him, budget implementation remains one of the biggest challenges of public finance in Nigeria, with many budgets falling short of execution despite ambitious projections.
“The 2025 budget was not fully implemented. There were clear gaps between what was budgeted and what was delivered,” he noted.
A central question raised during the conversation was whether budgets are written to be implemented or merely drafted to “fulfill all righteousness.” This question becomes even more critical as the 2026 Imo State budget, estimated at over ₦1 trillion, is the largest in the history of the state.
According to Ebosie, the size of the 2026 budget is largely driven by recent tax reforms, which project increased government revenue. While higher revenue generation is a positive development, he cautioned that revenue projections must translate into real service delivery, not just figures on paper.
An analysis of the 2026 Imo State Appropriation Law shows that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Development received the highest allocation, followed closely by the power sector. While infrastructure development is vital, the allocation has sparked debate, especially when compared to other sectors.
One of the most controversial revelations is that the education sector received only about 5% of the total budget allocation. This has raised serious concerns among civil society actors, educators, and citizens who argue that sustainable development cannot be achieved without strong investment in education.
“Infrastructure is important, but development without human capital is incomplete,” Ebosie emphasized.
With the memories of the 2025 budget’s underperformance still fresh, many Imo citizens are now asking: Will the 2026 budget be fully implemented, or will history repeat itself?
The success of the budget, according to BudgIT, will depend on transparency, realistic revenue assumptions, citizen engagement, and strong monitoring of projects throughout the fiscal year.