ODSG engages stakeholders on 2026 budget; reaffirms commitment to people's aspirations through strategic budgeting*

The Ondo State Government has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to inclusive governance and speedy development of the state through realistic budgeting and strategic implementation of programmes and policies.

Towards this, the state government has continued to engage stakeholders with the aim of incorporating their inputs into the 2026 Budget and long-term fiscal planning as part of its broader vision to transform the state into one of Nigeria’s most developed states.

The state Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Laolu Akindolire, while addressing stakeholders at the final phase of consultative meetings with key stakeholders across the 18 Local Government Areas, said the engagement has helped the government to ascertain the pressing challenges faced by the people.

The stakeholders engagements which focused on 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2026 Budget formulation were held across five zones of the state, with participants  including traditional rulers, community leaders, local council chairpersons, representatives of interest groups and student bodies, among others.

The extensive consultations involved Students bodies, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), trade unions, the organised private sector, professional bodies, women and youth groups, vulnerable populations, and traditional institutions.

Addressing the forum in Akure, the state capital, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Olaolu Akindolire explained said that the grassroots engagement was a strategic response to poor budget performance in 2025, which was significantly affected by non-disbursement of funds by foreign development partners.

Akindolire explained that the state government is proposing a more realistic, streamlined and people-driven 2026 Budget that aligned with available and accessible funding sources.

"When we looked at the 2025 capital budget, it was just too unrealistic. A capital budget of N433 billion—how do you fund it? That’s why we're preparing a more realistic budget for 2026, targeting 70–80% performance by focusing only on revenues we are confident will come in," he said.

The Commissioner who described development funding of budget as 'clumsy and unrealistic' in terms of disbursement timeline, said government is now focusing on realistic funding, stressing that future budgets in the state would no longer depend heavily on development funding.

"We’re now focusing on realistic funding sources. If additional support comes from development partners, it’s welcome—but it will no longer form the base of our planning,” he emphasized.

Mr. Akindolire revealed that the 2026 Budget would prioritise some critical sectors that directly affect the people, especially in the face of reduced fiscal space.

The sectors, according to him, include Agriculture to enhance food security, education, human capital development, security, and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) support which are key drivers of economic growth," Akindolire said.

The commissioner however reiterated that despite fiscal constraints, the state government remains committed to paying salaries, pensions, and gratuities in full, and as well continue to support critical services.

The Administrative Secretary of the Budget Office, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Stephen Aworere, explained that the stakeholders engagement was a deliberate move by the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to democratize budgeting process and make it truly participatory.

The Administrative Secretary noted that the 2026 budget is being structured in line with World Bank economic forecasts for Nigeria as the global institution has pegged Nigeria’s GDP growth at 3.40%, inflation at 24%, and crude oil at $70 per barrel for 2026.