Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri presented a proposed ₦1.24 trillion budget for the 2027 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly in Yenagoa on Tuesday, with 68 percent of the spending earmarked for capital projects.
The appropriation bill, titled the “Budget of Assured Prosperity for Sustainable Growth and Development,” totals ₦1,242,688,970,520.22. Diri proposed ₦840.79 billion (₦840,791,394,666.69) for capital expenditure and ₦401.90 billion (₦401,897,575,853.53) for recurrent spending, which together account for the full sum and split it roughly 68 percent to 32 percent. The figure is about 22 percent above the ₦1.016 trillion approved for 2026. At the budget’s own exchange-rate assumption of ₦1,400 to the dollar, the total comes to roughly $888 million, an indicative conversion by this writer.
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The governor laid out the economic assumptions behind the estimates: an oil price benchmark of $60 a barrel, crude production of 1.8 million barrels a day, and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the dollar. Projected inflation is 18 percent and projected growth is 3.5 percent. Diri said the assumptions provide the basis for fiscal planning while acknowledging the risks of oil-market volatility.
The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure takes the largest share, ₦422.84 billion, in line with what the governor described as an emphasis on roads, bridges and connectivity, particularly for communities in the riverine areas. Education is allocated ₦126.97 billion and sports development ₦68.50 billion. Health receives ₦53.32 billion, security ₦24 billion, public utilities ₦22.94 billion and agriculture ₦17.74 billion. Those lines add up to about ₦736 billion, so roughly ₦506 billion of the proposal sits in allocations that were not itemized in the reported breakdown.
Diri described the proposal as historic, the first budget of Bayelsa’s fourth decade and the last to come before the current Assembly. He said it was prepared after consultations with traditional rulers, technical experts, the organized private sector and residents across the state. He told the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to enforce coordination, transparency and accountability in carrying it out. He listed several strategic projects that will keep getting priority attention in 2027 because they are at advanced stages of completion, and said the government would channel more resources into projects with direct benefits for residents. He added that government investments are becoming visible across the state’s eight local government areas.
The governor also set targets for electricity and farming. On power, the state aims for 100 megawatts of supply in the fiscal year, in addition to the 60-megawatt gas turbine that already serves it. On agriculture, he said Bayelsa’s land and waterways give it the potential to become a major food producer. On health, he promised better facilities, adequate staffing and measures to keep doctors and nurses in the state.
The Assembly’s response is recorded differently across reports. One account says the Speaker of the House, Abraham Ingobere, received the bill and assured the governor of prompt consideration, adding that lawmakers would examine the assumptions and allocations to be sure they were realistic and achievable. Other accounts say Ingobere was represented by Deputy Speaker Michael Ogbere, who commended Diri on the implementation of the 2026 budget and promised speedy passage. The accounts do not reconcile who received the bill, and both are reported here. The House said it would invite ministries, departments and agencies to defend their allocations and that it remains committed to a transparent and accountable process.
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Diri asked lawmakers to give the proposals “the due scrutiny and the needed speed” so the appropriation law can take effect in January 2027.
Bayelsa’s presentation is one of several 2027 state budgets surfacing this week. According to headlines from the same news cycle, Governor Otu presented ₦987.8 billion for 2027, with ₦708.4 billion for capital projects, and President Bola Tinubu will present the 2027 federal budget before the end of 2026.
Capital spending in Bayelsa’s plan of ₦840.79 billion is a hair above two-thirds of the total, while the recurrent line of ₦401.90 billion covers the running costs of government. Diri said the government’s priorities will need sustained investment and effective use of available resources to improve living conditions for residents.
The Assembly will now examine the bill and invite agency heads to defend their allocations, and Diri has asked for the appropriation law to take effect in January 2027.
