The House of Representatives has approved a ₦1.75 trillion statutory budget for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the 2026 financial year.
The approval followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the House Committee on NDDC during plenary.
Under the approved budget, ₦47.57 billion was allocated for personnel expenditure, while ₦49.93 billion was earmarked for overhead costs.
The commission also received ₦22.36 billion for internal capital expenditure, while the largest portion of the budget, about ₦1.63 trillion, was allocated to development projects across the Niger Delta region.
The budget is expected to support interventions in key areas including roads, electricity, healthcare, education, shoreline protection, youth empowerment and other development programmes across the region.
The approval comes amid longstanding concerns over infrastructure deficits, unemployment, environmental challenges and access to basic services in communities across the Niger Delta.
Lawmakers have also stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the commission’s projects, given the size of the approved allocation.
The NDDC is mandated to formulate and implement projects and programmes aimed at addressing developmental challenges in the oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta.
With the approval of the 2026 budget, attention now shifts to the implementation of the proposed projects and the extent to which the funds will translate into tangible improvements in communities across the region.
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