Gombe State Government says the 2026 Appropriation Bill currently before the State House of Assembly is strategically crafted to deepen gains in education, health, infrastructure, youth empowerment and other critical sectors of the economy.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Salihu Baba Alkali, said this on Wednesday in Gombe while giving journalists a detailed breakdown of the fiscal proposal recently presented by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON.
He said the proposed N535.696 billion budget, tagged “Budget of Consolidation”, represents a significant increase from the revised N451.661 billion budget of 2025, reflecting government’s commitment to sustaining developmental momentum across the state.
According to him, the 2026 fiscal plan prioritises capital spending, which accounts for 69.34 per cent of the total estimate following a 14.25 per cent rise over the previous year. Recurrent expenditure, he added, would take up 30.66 per cent of the budget, representing a 29.77 per cent increase.
Baba Alkali said the expansion in budget size aligns with the Yahaya administration’s vision to deliver long-term impact in key sectors including agriculture, water supply, environmental management and investment promotion.
The commissioner disclosed that as at Sept. 30, the state had achieved 56.39 per cent implementation of the revised 2025 budget. He expressed confidence that the government was on track to achieve near-full implementation before the end of the fiscal year.
He also announced that the state government has set an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target of N39 billion for 2026. He described the goal as ambitious but attainable, citing improved performance by the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service (GIRS), which had already surpassed its 2025 target by 103 per cent as of October.
Baba Alkali said the projected IGR for 2026 exceeds the N32.7 billion target for 2025 by 19.22 per cent, and would strengthen government’s ability to sustain and complete ongoing development projects.
He appealed to residents to support the government by paying their taxes regularly, noting that improved revenue inflows remained crucial to achieving the state’s economic goals.
On other revenue expectations, he said the state anticipates N80 billion from statutory allocation, N65 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), and N132 billion from other FAAC receipts. He explained that VAT is expected to contribute 25.5 per cent of total projected revenue, while FAAC receipts would account for 41.77 per cent.
The commissioner added that reforms within the GIRS, including institutional restructuring and technology-driven tax administration, had enhanced revenue efficiency and widened the tax net.
He noted that major economic projects such as the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park and the International Grains and Cattle Market were expected to significantly boost the state’s revenue profile in the near future.
According to him, these initiatives, alongside investment-friendly policies of the present administration, continue to position Gombe as an emerging economic hub in the country.
Baba Alkali said ongoing projects including the Three-Arm Zone, renovation of the Government House, multiple road networks within Gombe metropolis, and the International Grains and Livestock Market would be completed before the end of Governor Yahaya’s tenure.
He described the 2026 budget as a forward-looking financial framework that consolidates past achievements and strengthens the foundation for sustainable development across the state.
