The Senate has passed the 2019 appropriation bill, raising the budget amount to N8.916 trillion, an increase of N86 billion from the N8.83 trillion that was proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Danjuma Goje, presented a report of the budget during Tuesday’s plenary and after considerations, the document was passed.

President Buhari presented the 2019 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19 2018.

2019 Appropriation Bill (SB. 721) is read the THIRD time and PASSED.#TodayInSenatePlenary

— The Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) April 30, 2019

Speaking after the budget had been passed, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, called on the executive arm of government to ensure that the budget was implemented in full.

“I want to thank our colleagues, particularly for their understanding and for us to be able to meet today’s deadline in passing the bill and thank the committee on appropriation too,” Saraki said.

“I hope that with this Budget passed, the Executive will also ensure the full implementation of the Budget for the benefit of Nigerians as a whole.”

The House of Representatives is expected to also pass the 2019 appropriation bill within the week, after which a joint committee of the two chambers of the legislature would be formed to harmonise both versions of the budget before transmitting it to the president for passage into law.