No be small matter o! Renowned economist and CEO of Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba don throway mouth for 2026 budget wahala. E tell stockbrokers and market players say make dem no dey rely on borrowing again to fund the budget, wey dey projected at N58.18 trillion. Na big money o!
For the Nigerian Economic Review wey happen for Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Teriba talk am clear say borrowing fit spoil wetin dem dey call fiscal sustainability. E suggest make we unlock plenty dormant government assets wey dey worth over N43 trillion, instead of just piling debt on top our heads. Na like this, we fit cover our funding gap and still maintain our sanity.
Wet don dey happen for other countries like Saudi Arabia and Brazil, wey use their state assets to fund plenty big projects. Why we no fit do the same? According to Teriba, stockbrokers fit create sharp investment instruments wey go rearrange these idle assets make dem dey work for us. No be to just dey use current revenue carry project dem forever!
“Make capital projects dey fund demself!” Na wetin e dey talk. The capital market go provide structure wey go turn waiting no dey work into something wey go attract local and foreign investors. E don advise Ministry of Finance make dem publish clear register of federal government assets, so people go fit see wetin dey viable for investment.
As the gist dey continue, Chief Economist for United Capital, Mr. Ayodele Akinwunmi join the gist as e talk say sectors like manufacturing, real estate and telecommunications go lead economic expansion for 2026. E even talk say our debt-to-GDP ratio dey about 39 percent, which no be ground for alarm, but we still need private sector to gather more strength when e come to government assets.
The President of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Mr. Oluropo Dada, also yan for the matter, say this forum dey promote accountability and make dem align their goals with Nigeria’s economic priorities for 2026. According to Dada, throughout 2025, dem don do serious work to engage the capital market ecosystem to help focus on sustainable economic growth.
Na wetin government don talk be say dem dey expect total revenue of N34.33 trillion and total expenditure of N58.18 trillion for 2026, wey include N15.52 trillion for debt servicing. This matter no be small, as dem don also project budget deficit of N23.85 trillion, wey go be 4.28 percent of GDP. Oil benchmark don dey set at $64.85 per barrel, crude oil production at 1.84 million barrels per day, and exchange rate na N1,400 to the US Dollar. E no easy for anybody o!
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