Edo emerges among best states on 2025 budgetary performance
….as Okpebholo presents N939.85 Billion 2026 budget to Edo Assembly
By John Mayaki
Edo State has emerged as one of Nigeria’s strongest budget performers in 2025, recording 81.2% budget execution between the first and third quarters of the year, according to data compiled by Agora Policy from states’ budget implementation reports.
Besides, the State Governor Monday Okpebholo has presented over N939 Billion and an additional 850 million “Budget of Hope and Growth” to the State House of Assembly for 2026 Appropriation Year.
However, 2025 budget performance figure placed Edo state narrowly behind Lagos state, which performed at 81.5%.
The performance of Edo state under Governor Monday Okpebholo shows high level of fiscal discipline, transparency and implementation capacity even when several states with larger revenue bases underperformed.
Edo’s near-parity with Lagos suggests a measured but effective spending strategy that balances capital execution with debt obligations and recurrent pressures.
The state operates without excess fiscal buffers, making sustained execution above 80%, an indicator of strong planning rather than revenue windfalls.
The governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo is consistent in developing and implementing budgets that are realistic and in tune with the economic realities.
In its 2026 budget proposals, Governor Okpebholo presented a budget proposal of N940b for the 2026 fiscal year with is N335 billion higher than the 2025 budget.
The state planned to fund the budget from N160 billion to be gotten from Internally Generated
Revenue, N480 billion from FAAC allocations, N153 billion from Capital receipts and grants while N146 billion would be gotten from Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
The 2026 capital expenditure, according to the Governor is N637 billion, representing 68% while recurrent expenditure is N302 billion, representing
32%.
Tagged Budget of Hope and Growth, Governor Okpebholo said it sought to consolidate on the gains recorded during his first vear in office, expand reach, and restore hope of Edo people in governance.
On sectoral allocations, the economic sector got N614.2 billion, social sector got N148.9 billion, administrative sector got N157.7 billion while the justice sector got N19 billion.
According to the governor, “The vision of the 2026 Budget of Hope and Growth is simple; it is to bring about prosperity and a united Edo State where every citizen has hope and every community feels the impact of governance."