By Raphael Ekpang
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday presented the 2021 budget proposal of N13.08 trillion to the National Assembly for consideration and passage into law.
The president, who was accompanied by the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the secretary to the government of the federation, Boss Mustapha and some other cabinet members and presidential aides, arrived the premises of NASS at about 11am.
According to Buhari, the total aggregate revenue projected for the 2021 budget was N7.86 trillion with a deficit of N5.2 trillion, representing 3.4 per cent of the GDP.
Corerporters report that, President Buhari said the deficit would be financed mainly by new borrowing, totaling N4.28 trillion.
He stated that the total revenue available to fund the 2021 federal budget was estimated to N7.886trillion which included grants and aids of N354.85billion as well as revenues of 60 government-owned enterprises.
According to him, the budget, which is described as a budget for Economic Recovery and Resilience, is based on an estimated oil price benchmark of 40dollars per barrel, daily oil production estimate of 1.86 million barrels (inclusive of condensates of 300,000 to 400,000 barrels per day) and an exchange rate of N379 per dollar.
“Based on the foregoing fiscal assumptions and parameters, total federally distributable revenue is estimated at N8.433 trillion in 2021. Total revenue available to fund the 2021 Federal Budget is estimated at N7.886 trillion.
“This includes Grants and Aid of N354.85 billion as well as the revenues of 60 government-owned Enterprises.
According to him, oil revenue is projected at N2.01 trillion and non-oil revenue is estimated at N1.49 trillion.
“As you will observe, the format of the 2021 Appropriation Bill has been modified to include budgeted revenues, no matter how small, for each MDA, to focus on internal revenue generation.
“Accordingly, I implore you to pay as much attention to the revenue side as you do to the expenditure side.
He stated that N3.12trillion had been earmarked for debt servicing in 2021 as against N2.1trillion in 2020
The president, who reviewed the performance of the 2020 budget so far, said the budget was amended in response to the challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As at July 2020, the Federal Government’s actual revenue available for the budget was N2.10 trillion.
“This revenue performance was only 68 percent of our pro-rated target in the revised 2020 budget.
“At N992.45 billion, oil revenue performed well above our budget target, by 168 per cent. Non-oil tax revenues totaled N692.83 billion, which was 73 percent of the revised target.’’
