From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has presented a proposed N828.64 billion 2027 budget to the Katsina State House of Assembly, with priority given to education, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and rural development.
Presenting the Appropriation Bill, tagged “Building Your Future IV,” before the House on Tuesday, Governor Radda said the proposal was designed to improve the lives and well-being of residents while ensuring that the benefits of good governance reach both urban and rural communities.
The Governor said N637.91 billion, representing 76.98 per cent of the total budget, was earmarked for capital expenditure, while N190.73 billion, or 23.02 per cent, was allocated to recurrent expenditure.
According to him, the proposed budget is 7.71 per cent lower than the approved 2026 budget, representing a reduction of N69.23 billion.
Radda said the reduction followed a realistic assessment of the state’s revenue and expenditure expectations.
“We took a pragmatic, disciplined and realistic view of both revenue and expenditure.
“We reviewed every available funding source to ensure fiscal balance, strengthen implementation and reduce the risk of shortfalls,” he said.
He added that Ministries, Departments and Agencies were required to justify their expenditure plans based on the administration’s Building Your Future development blueprint, available resources and the needs of communities.
Governor Radda described the proposal as the most participatory budget in the state’s history, saying its priorities were largely shaped by the Citizens’ Budget Exercise, conducted simultaneously across all 361 wards on July 18, 2026.
He said each ward would receive a special project selected by residents, while community-generated data would guide interventions in agriculture, MSMEs, WASH, women empowerment, environmental protection, climate change and security.
Education, Infrastructure, Agriculture Get Priority
The Social Sector is allocated N317.73 billion, representing 38.34 per cent of the budget, while the Economic Sector receives N303.17 billion, or 36.59 per cent.
The Administrative Sector gets N198.55 billion, while Law and Justice receives N9.19 billion.
Of the N637.91 billion capital provision, five priority sectors will receive a combined N325.45 billion.
Basic and Higher Education gets N83.82 billion; Works and Housing, N71.60 billion; Agriculture and Livestock, N65.88 billion; Health, N53.64 billion; and Rural Development, N50.51 billion.
The five sectors account for 51.02 per cent of the proposed capital budget.
Governor Radda said the allocations would support improved learning infrastructure and scholarships, road and housing development, food security, livestock value chains, healthcare facilities and rural infrastructure.
The remaining N312.47 billion will support other essential sectors, including security and e-governance.
2026 Budget Records Progress
Reviewing the implementation of the 2026 budget as of August 28, Governor Radda said the administration had recorded progress in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, water, rural development and security.
He said recurrent revenue, including opening balance, stood at N267.47 billion, representing 44.16 per cent performance, while capital receipts stood at N116.41 billion, representing 39.84 per cent.
Total recurrent and capital expenditure reached N295.19 billion, representing 32.88 per cent of the overall budget as of August.
Radda expressed confidence that the performance would improve before the end of the year as several ongoing projects are completed.
Investments in Education and Health
The Governor said the government had invested N13.03 billion in renovations and rehabilitation under the TESS Programme, N10.53 billion in secondary school renovation and construction under AGILE, and N5.88 billion in primary school intervention projects in collaboration with UBEC.
The administration also committed N3.55 billion to the construction and maintenance of three special model schools, with the model school in Radda already completed and academic activities commenced.
Another N2.07 billion was spent on SSCE examination fees covering WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS, while N1.26 billion was committed to scholarships for local and foreign students.
In healthcare, Radda said Katsina currently has 1,751 primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions, with more than 85 per cent functional.
He disclosed that the administration had invested more than N9.59 billion since 2025 in equipping the Medical Imaging Centre at GARSH, Katsina, which will be converted into a World-Class Cancer and Imaging Centre.
Agriculture and Security
The government committed N21.43 billion to fertiliser procurement in collaboration with local government councils, alongside N479.56 million for irrigation development, N441.26 million for improved seeds and N269.35 million for seed multiplication.
The administration also spent N3.11 billion on rural access roads to improve the movement and marketing of agricultural produce.
On security, Governor Radda said the state spent N1.34 billion on security assets and N6.16 billion on security allowances and operations, bringing total security-related expenditure to more than N7.5 billion in 2026.
He said sustained security efforts had enabled many affected communities to return to normal life and allowed farmers to return to their fields.
Radda Acknowledges Remaining Challenges
Governor Radda acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly insecurity in frontline communities, inadequate staffing and learning materials in schools, healthcare pressures, water supply and sanitation gaps, and infrastructure deficits.
He said the government would continue investing in treated water facilities and distribution networks, including the Zobe Phase 1B Water Project.
He also reaffirmed the administration’s ambition to make Katsina the first open-defecation-free state in Nigeria.
Governor Radda assured residents that his administration would continue addressing challenges in education, healthcare, infrastructure, water and sanitation, agriculture, MSMEs, women empowerment, environment, climate change and security.
Governor Commends Assembly
The Governor commended the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nasir Yahaya Daura, and members of the legislature for their constructive partnership with the Executive.
He said the cooperation between the two arms of government had contributed to the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at improving socioeconomic development across the state.
Radda expressed confidence that lawmakers would give the 2027 Appropriation Bill due consideration and pass it into law in good time.