The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Rep. Philip Agbese, has revealed that plans are underway to increase funding for strategic agencies in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
Key agencies slated for improved funding include the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), among others.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, Agbese emphasized that these agencies are critical to Nigeria’s socio-economic development and have been prioritized for enhanced financial support in the 2025 fiscal year.
“We are advocating for increased funding for the National Identity Management Commission, the National Youth Service Corps, and the Nigerian Defence Academy in the 2025 budget proposal. Other government agencies may also benefit from this initiative,” he stated.
NIMC’s critical role
Agbese highlighted the growing importance of NIMC, noting that the commission plays a vital role in building a national data bank.
“Many Nigerians may not fully understand the significance of NIMC, but we cannot achieve a robust national data system without empowering this agency,” he said.
- On the NYSC, the lawmaker stressed the need to sustain the corps’ ideals, which informed the decision to push for adequate funding.
- He also addressed the importance of bolstering the NDA and similar institutions to enhance the capacity of Nigeria’s security personnel to tackle emerging threats.
“At a time when terrorists are adopting new strategies despite the gallantry of our troops, we must devise means to outsmart them.
“One way to achieve this is by increasing funding for institutions tasked with building the capacity of our security forces to address evolving challenges,” Agbese explained.
Budget shortfall
He further noted that the current budget envelope system is insufficient to meet the capital expenditure needs of most agencies, underscoring the necessity for increased funding.
In addition to the aforementioned agencies, Agbese revealed that the House of Representatives is also prepared to boost funding for Nigeria’s foreign missions under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Aviation.
The lawmaker urged Nigerians to remain optimistic, assuring them that the Federal Government, with the support of the National Assembly, is working diligently to improve living conditions and ensure national prosperity.
“We encourage Nigerians to stay hopeful. The current economic challenges will soon give way to better days as the government is committed to making life more enjoyable for all citizens in the shortest possible time,” Agbese concluded.
What you should know
Poor funding for the NIMC has slowed down the Commission’s moves to register all Nigerians for the National Identification Number (NIN) for several years.
- The current level of progress achieved is being driven by the World Bank-supervised Identity for Development (ID4D) project.
- The $430 million project aimed at registering all Nigerians for digital ID is being co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the International Development Association (IDA).
- Under the financing plan for the project, which was approved by the IDA in 2020, AFD is to release $100 million and the EIB is to fund it with the sum of $215, while the IDA, an arm of the World Bank is to add $115 million.
