In an update published by Premium Times, the leadership of the National Assembly has officially postponed the resumption of plenary sessions, originally slated for today, February 24. The delay is intended to provide various house committees and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) more time to conclude the defense sessions for the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
An internal memo from the Acting Clerk of the House confirmed that lawmakers are now expected to reconvene in early March to begin the final phase of budget deliberations.
The legislative shift was confirmed by The Punch, which reported that the move was necessary to ensure no sector is underfunded. The Punch quoted Clerk Kamoru Ogunlana: “This postponement is to enable committees of the Assembly to conclude ongoing budget defense sessions effectively.”
Similarly, Daily Post highlighted that the 2026 budget is under intense scrutiny due to its focus on industrialization and mining. Daily Post reported that “legislative thoroughness is being prioritized over speed to avoid the pitfalls of previous fiscal years,” citing a senior parliamentary source.
Echotitbits take:
A delay in plenary usually signals friction between the executive’s proposals and the legislature’s priorities. With the 2026 budget targeting a massive shift toward production and mining, lawmakers are likely haggling over the specific allocations for infrastructure. The March 5th deadline will be a critical date to see if the budget can be passed before the end of the first quarter.
Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/nassembly-shifts-plenary-resumption-to-march-5/, February 24, 2026
Photo credit: The Punch
