By Ayomide Otitoju
Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, fresh from a historic landslide re-election, on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, presented the state’s 2026 budget of ₦757.9 billion to the House of Assembly, signalling the start of his second-term development agenda.
Tagged “Changing Gears 3.0: Solution Continues,” the budget marks a 24% increase over the 2025 appropriation and is the most capital-intensive in recent state history. Governor Soludo described it as more than a financial plan, calling it a blueprint for accelerating Anambra’s renaissance.
According to the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, 79% of the budget (₦595.3 billion) is earmarked for capital projects—including roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, digital hubs, and industrial zones—while recurrent expenditure is maintained at 21%, reflecting Soludo’s commitment to fiscal prudence and sustainable development.
“Anambra now ranks number one in Nigeria for fiscal transparency and sustainability,” Aburime noted, highlighting the state’s deliberate focus on building infrastructure and investing for the future rather than consuming resources today.
The 2026 budget builds on the achievements of the first term. More than 900 kilometres of roads are under construction, 600 km already asphalted in 44 months, with key projects such as the Aroma Link Bridge, Ekwulobia Flyover, and the new Government House completed. The Solution Fun City, West Africa’s largest leisure complex, has attracted over 100,000 visitors in its first three months, while new hotels, shopping malls, and entertainment hubs are nearing completion.
Education remains a priority, with 8,115 new teachers recruited, public-school enrolment up 47% in secondary and 27% in primary schools, and 22 smart schools now operational. In 2026, new model primary schools will be constructed in 30 communities that have never had one, alongside the establishment of two specialist tertiary institutions. Mission schools continue to receive over ₦1.2 billion monthly in salary support.
Healthcare achievements include free antenatal and delivery services for 161,197 women with zero maternal mortality, 594 free caesarean sections, the commissioning of four new general hospitals, modernization of 326 primary healthcare centres with solar power and boreholes, the completion of a Trauma Centre, and construction of a specialist Oncology teaching hospital.
Governor Soludo’s administration has also invested heavily in youth empowerment, with the One Youth, Two Skills programme graduating 13,300 beneficiaries and nearly 100,000 youths trained in digital skills. The Solution Innovation District, Anambra’s tech hub, is nearing completion, cementing the state’s position as a growing technology and talent centre.
On security, the governor’s policies have transformed Anambra into one of the safest states in Nigeria, with effective measures against criminality, cultism, and touting restoring peace to previously troubled areas.
Looking ahead, the 2026 budget sets the stage for the Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City, three new urban centres—Awka 2.0, Greater Niger, and Aerotropolis/New Industrial-Commercial City—and the implementation of the state’s Rail Masterplan through public-private partnerships. Expanded clean water schemes, private investment in the Anambra Electricity Market, and support for poor households with seedlings and micro-grants are also planned.
Governor Soludo concluded that despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, every kobo will be accounted for, every project executed efficiently, and every community will benefit from development.
Under his focused and disciplined leadership, Anambra State is accelerating toward its vision of becoming a prosperous, smart, and livable mega city, with the Solution Agenda continuing to drive growth and transformation.
