President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve an increase of ₦9.3 trillion to the proposed 2026 budget, raising it from ₦58.47 trillion to ₦67.7 trillion.

The request was contained in a letter read on Tuesday during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following the lawmakers’ return from the two-week Eid-el-Fitr break.

In the letter, Tinubu explained that the proposed increase is mainly to regularise outstanding legacy capital projects inherited from previous administrations.

According to the President, the adjustment will help ensure the completion of ongoing projects that were included in earlier national budgets.

He also stated that part of the additional spending would support key transport infrastructure projects as part of the administration’s development plans.

Tinubu further noted that the adjustment is intended to maintain macro-fiscal stability and reduce pressure on the domestic financial market.

The request forms part of the government’s efforts to sustain economic reforms while continuing the execution of critical development projects across the country.

After reading the letter, Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for further legislative consideration.

The National Assembly has not yet passed the 2026 Appropriation Bill, making the proposed increase the first major amendment to the budget proposal before its final approval.