By Abiodun JIMOH
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has reiterated his administration’s commitment to responsible and transparent fiscal management as he presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill of ₦757.88 billion to the Anambra State House of Assembly. The proposal—tagged “Changing Gears 3.0: Solution Continues”—represents an increase from the ₦606.99 billion budgeted in 2025 and is designed to accelerate development and deepen the state’s transformation agenda.
Presenting the budget, Governor Soludo noted that despite the scope of projects executed under his administration, the state has not borrowed to fund its programmes. He described responsible fiscal management as a central pillar of his development vision, highlighting his focus on financing projects that grow revenue and strengthen Anambra’s economy.
The governor acknowledged the challenge of funding the budget but said his administration remains committed to its philosophy of “doing more with less.”
“It is no accident that Anambra has been ranked No. 1 in fiscal transparency and, more recently, the leading state in fiscal sustainability. We have cut the cost of governance to the bare bones, prioritising value over volume. The unprecedented 21 percent recurrent and 79 percent capital expenditure ratio speaks volumes. We are investing in tomorrow, not consuming today,” he said.
Soludo announced plans to roll out an aggressive, technology-driven overhaul of the state’s internally generated revenue system to block leakages, expand the tax net, support compliant taxpayers, and enforce payment where necessary.
He added that Anambra will continue to deepen partnerships with the Federal Government, development partners, the private sector, local governments, and communities whose contributions, he noted, are significantly complementing government efforts.
“Together, we are expanding the big tent of collective development. To demonstrate our commitment to our development partners, we have set aside counterpart funding in this budget. This will unlock more opportunities, more grants, and more collaborative projects for our state,” he stated.
Governor Soludo explained that the 2026 fiscal year will focus on consolidating the foundations laid in his first term while rolling out new legacy projects that will shape Anambra’s growth trajectory for decades. The plans will be anchored on the five pillars of the Solution Agenda, including Security, Law and Order; Infrastructure and Economic Transformation; and Human Capital Development.
