National Assembly Shifts Resumption Date to March 5 for Budget Defence

The National Assembly has announced a postponement of its plenary sitting, pushing back the resumption of lawmakers from Tuesday, February 24, to Thursday, March 5, 2026. The decision was taken to grant legislative committees additional time to complete ongoing budget defence sessions with ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The change in schedule was communicated in a statement issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, on [Day of the week the statement was released].

“This is to inform Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the National Assembly that the resumption of plenary session earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 24th February 2026 has been postponed,” the statement read. “This postponement is to enable Committees of the Assembly to conclude ongoing budget defence sessions.”

Lawmakers have been locked in intense sessions scrutinising the 2026 Appropriation Bill. Various standing committees are currently engaging heads of government agencies to defend their proposed spending for the upcoming fiscal year. These sessions require agency heads to justify budgetary allocations, present reports on the implementation of the 2025 budget, and clarify issues related to internally generated revenue and outstanding liabilities.

The statement further noted that the assembly will reconvene in both chambers on the new date, Thursday, 5th March 2026, at 11:00 a.m., urging all legislators to note the change.

The extension of the committee phase comes amid reports of delays caused by the late submission of budget documents by some MDAs and the absence of key chief executives from scheduled hearings. In several instances, committees have been forced to reschedule appearances or extend sessions to obtain necessary clarifications.

This thorough oversight exercise is being intensified as lawmakers weigh concerns over revenue shortfalls and rising debt obligations, with a focus on ensuring spending aligns with key national priorities in infrastructure, security, health, and education.

The additional time is expected to allow for a more comprehensive legislative review before the bill moves to the harmonisation and passage stages.