The National Assembly has approved a N1.50 trillion budget for the Nigerian Army for the 2026 fiscal year, pledging support to ensure funds are released promptly for operational needs.
The approval followed a joint budget defence session in Abuja, where Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, presented details of the proposed expenditure for the coming year.
Speaking after the session, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, expressed satisfaction with the presentation and assured the Army of continued legislative backing. “The Army is critical to our nation, and we are committed to collaborating with the Chief of Army Staff to ensure success,” Yar’Adua said.
Similarly, Aminu Balele, Chairman of the House Committee on Army, commended officers and men of the Nigerian Army for their dedication and promised sustained pressure to guarantee prompt release of appropriated funds.
“We are ready to push for timely fund release so that the Army can deliver on its mandate,” Balele added.
The N1.50 trillion allocation comes amid growing calls for enhanced funding of Nigeria’s security architecture, as the country continues to face insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.
For over a decade, the Nigerian Army has been at the forefront of counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the North-East, while also engaging bandits in the North-West and North-Central regions.
Security analysts have repeatedly stressed that modern warfare demands sustained investment in equipment, intelligence, troop welfare, logistics, and training, warning that delays in fund release can disrupt operations and affect morale.
The 2026 budget approval is therefore seen as both a financial commitment and a political signal of support for ongoing military operations, with lawmakers emphasizing that prompt fund release is essential to achieving tangible results on the battlefield.
