The National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriations has reached an agreement with the federal government’s economic team on the immediate commencement of the capital component of the 2025 budget.

The resolution was taken on Thursday during a meeting that later went into a closed session. Both sides also reaffirmed an earlier commitment, reached at a previous meeting between the House Appropriations Committee and the economic team, that the federal government’s circular on the award of contracts should be withdrawn.

Present at the meeting were the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriation, Senator Adeola Olamilekan and Representative Abubakar Bichi. Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamseldin Ogunjimi, and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, among others.

Further details on the closed-door discussions are expected to be communicated in due course.