Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has presented a ₦607 billion draft budget for 2025, marking a significant 48% increase from the 2024 budget of ₦410 billion. Dubbed “Changing Gears 2.0,” the proposed budget emphasizes acceleration, execution, and sustained development across key sectors.
During his presentation to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, Soludo outlined the allocation structure: ₦139.5 billion (23%) for recurrent expenditure and ₦467.5 billion (77%) for capital projects. He highlighted that the budget reflects the administration’s continued focus on infrastructure, economic transformation, and human capital development, which constitute 70% of the allocations.
Soludo noted that the budget deficit of ₦148.3 billion, representing 24% of the total, is lower than the 30% deficit recorded in 2024. He added that the deficit would be funded through revenue growth or borrowing, though the state has avoided borrowing in the past two years.
Key sectors receiving increased allocations include education (101.4%), health (57.1%), and the judiciary (51.3%). Infrastructure investments will rise by 38.9%, while the social sector sees an 82.7% boost. These adjustments reflect the administration’s commitment to transformative projects.
The budget outlines ongoing and new projects, including the development of three cities: Awka 2.0, Onitsha 2.0, and an industrial city. The Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City Master Plan and a railway master plan have been completed, with support from Afreximbank and the African Development Bank.
Governor Soludo also emphasized enhancing the ease of doing business in Anambra to attract investors. Following the success of the second Anambra Investment Summit, 10 elite companies signed Memoranda of Understanding, and plans are underway to build Africa’s largest shopping mall and several leisure centers.
On human capital development, Soludo reiterated a focus on education and health. He pledged continued free education, the upgrade of 22 secondary schools into smart schools, and aggressive primary school infrastructure upgrades. The administration also spends over ₦1.2 billion monthly on salaries for government teachers deployed to mission schools.
The governor announced plans to expand agricultural support programs, providing crop seedlings to over 100,000 households, and to grow the One-Youth, Two-Skills initiative, aiming to empower more youths through the Solution Innovation District’s digital skills program.
The ambitious budget underscores the administration’s dedication to building a prosperous Anambra, balancing rapid development with inclusivity for all citizens.
