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Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River state has presented to the state House of Assembly a budget estimate of ₦987.8 billion for the 2027 fiscal year.
Presenting the budget in Calabar, Wednesday October 21, 2026, Governor Otu said the estimate was to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to sustainable development, fiscal discipline and inclusive economic growth.
Christened the “Budget of Consolidation and Renewed Hope,” the governor said the 2027 estimate was more than an aggregation of figures, characterising it as “a solemn and sacred pact laden with the trust, expectation and aspiration of the people for their improved livelihoods.”
He explained that the proposed budget, valued at precisely ₦987,808,089,235.92, represents an increase of approximately 2.57 per cent over the 2026 budget.
The governor further said ₦708.43 billion, representing 71.72 per cent of the total provision is budgeted for capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure stands at ₦279.38 billion, or 28.28 per cent.
Infrastructure received the largest explicitly listed sectoral allocation of ₦246.1 billion, followed by education with ₦99.6 billion, health with ₦85.4 billion, agriculture with ₦28.2 billion and aviation with ₦21.8 billion.
Other provisions include ₦20.2 billion for the House of Assembly, ₦19.1 billion for the judiciary, ₦16.6 billion for power and ₦11.3 billion for tourism.
The governor said the budget would continue to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring continuity in unfinished projects and directing resources towards the state’s strategic priorities.
He also pledged continued investment in forest conservation and the green economy, judicial infrastructure, security and youth empowerment.
In education, he reaffirmed the policy of free and compulsory education from primary to junior secondary school, alongside the payment of WAEC fees for public-school students.
On the judiciary, he promised adequate funding for ongoing court projects and further improvements in the working conditions of judicial officers, while urging the institution to pursue reforms that would strengthen public confidence in justice delivery.
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