Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has signed the N695 billion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Tersoo Kula, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Makurdi.
The budget was passed by the Benue State House of Assembly on Wednesday evening and assented to by the governor on the same day.
Governor Alia had earlier presented an appropriation bill of N605.51 billion to the House. However, lawmakers approved a revised sum of N695.01 billion, representing an increase of N89.5 billion.
Speaking after assenting to the bill, the governor described the budget as a people-centred spending plan designed to drive rural development, support livelihoods, and promote sustained economic growth.
He named the 2026 fiscal plan the “Budget of Rural Development, Livelihood Support and Sustained Growth.”
“This budget is rooted in the realities of our present and guided by the aspirations that bind us to a greater tomorrow,” Alia said.
“At the heart of Benue lies a strong rural foundation that feeds the nation, preserves our culture, and anchors our path to inclusive growth. For decades, these rural communities carried the weight of neglect despite feeding the nation. With this budget, we make a bold declaration: the era of rural neglect is over.”
He explained that the 2026 Budget deliberately prioritises rural transformation through investments in feeder roads, bridges, water supply, rural electrification, and climate-smart infrastructure.
“When we connect farms to markets, we unlock wealth. When we connect communities to schools and hospitals, we secure dignity. When rural Benue thrives, the entire state prospers,” the governor said.
Alia further emphasised that Benue farmers remain the pride of the state, noting that agriculture and agro-industrial development received strong backing in the budget.
He added that the state government would expand access to subsidised inputs, mechanisation, extension services, aggregation centres, and cottage processing facilities.
“According to him, we are not just growing crops; we are growing value chains, jobs, and incomes,” the statement said.
The governor commended the Benue State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Alfred Emberga, for what he described as a diligent, transparent, and patriotic budget process.
He called for collective responsibility in implementing the budget, urging development partners, the private sector, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, and the media to see the budget as an invitation to partnership.
Alia assured that the budget would be implemented with discipline and accountability, stressing that its success would ultimately be measured by its impact on the lives of Benue residents.
Presenting the bill, Speaker Emberga said the House carried out thorough scrutiny and analysis of the budget in line with prevailing economic realities and the vision of the Alia administration.
