The N98.5 billion is in addition to the N1.2 trillion budget passed in March by the National Assembly.

The House of Representatives has passed the 2024 supplementary bill of N98.5 billion for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The approval followed the adoption of a report presented by the Chairperson of the House Committee on FCT, Muktar Betara (APC, Borno), on Thursday during plenary.

The N98.5 billion is in addition to the N1.2 trillion budget passed in March by the National Assembly.

President Bola Tinubu on 16 March sent the supplementary budget to the two chambers of the National Assembly for approval.

Presenting the synopsis of the report, Mr Betara said the committee scrutinised the presentation by the president and concluded that the money was needed to develop certain infrastructure in the federal capital.

According to the report, the committee recommended that "all revenues accruing to the Federal Capital Territory Administration, including the Statutory Revenue distribution, shall be paid into the Federal Capital Territory Administration's Statutory Revenue Account.

"No monies shall be withdrawn from the Account mentioned in Section 3(1) above without appropriation by the National Assembly."

"Where, due to revenue shortfall, amounts appropriated under this Bill cannot be funded, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory shall seek from the National Assembly a waiver not to incur such expenditure," the report reads in part.

The breakdown of the budget is as follows: N48.5 billion for engineering services, N18 billion for the education secretariat, N16 billion for public buildings, and N16 billion for the department of transportation.

The report was adopted by the Committee of Supply without opposition from members.

Subsequently, the bill was passed for a third reading when it was put to a vote by the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu.