The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has announced that the 2025 budget for State House agencies will be determined through a needs assessment to ensure that funding is allocated based on actual requirements. Gbajabiamila shared this during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, following a one-day fact-finding tour of several government agencies under the State House’s supervision.
Highlighting the importance of prioritizing resources in a context of limited availability, Gbajabiamila stated, “In any country in the world, resources are limited. For us it is about prioritising. Where are we so far? What have the agencies done? How have they measured up to their mandates, and how important are their mandates in terms of the vision of this administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda?”
He acknowledged that many agencies are underfunded and raised the possibility of merging or even scrapping some agencies to optimize resources, although he clarified that this did not apply to State House agencies specifically. He emphasized that the 2025 budget would not be created in isolation but would be grounded in a thorough needs assessment.
During separate meetings with the heads and staff of the agencies, Gbajabiamila pledged that the Presidency would work towards improving the welfare and working conditions for staff within the State House agencies. He encouraged the agency staff to embrace innovation, excellence, and professionalism while supporting their leaders to achieve success.
Additionally, Gbajabiamila underscored the importance of transparency in the procurement process, a key component of the administration’s commitment to good governance and accountability.
The agencies visited by Gbajabiamila included the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency, Bureau of Public Procurement, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure. He was accompanied on the tour by Deputy Chief of Staff Ibrahim Hadeija, Permanent Secretary of State House Olufunso Adebiyi, and Senior Special Assistant to the President for Administration and Operations, Mrs. Oyinade Nathan-Marsh.
