Agricultural institutions have been given 24 hours to submit documents on Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) or risk 2026 budget defence suspension
The House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions has ordered all agencies under its oversight to submit documentary evidence of their internally generated revenue (IGR) within 24 hours.
The directive was issued during the 2026 budget defence session of the agencies, following a motion moved by members of the committee.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Abiodun Akinlade, warned that the budget defence of any institution that fails to comply with the directive would be suspended.
Akinlade said budget defence should not be treated as a routine annual ritual, stressing that it is a crucial legislative process with direct implications for national development and citizens’ welfare.
“Budget defence is a universal practice in all democracies where ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) present their proposals to the legislature for scrutiny and approval. Until such approval is granted by parliament, MDAs are not permitted to spend. That is why it is often said that the power of the purse resides with the legislature,” he said.
He explained that agencies appearing before the committee were expected to justify their 2026 budget proposals by providing comprehensive details on the implementation of their 2025 budgets, alongside their projections and priority programmes for the coming year.
“We expect agencies to speak freely. We are representatives of the people and partners in progress, all working together to make our country better,” Rep. Akinlade added.
The committee also raised concerns over the non-release of capital funds to the agencies in the 2025 fiscal year.
According to the committee chairman, no capital allocation was released to the agencies throughout 2025, a situation he said had adversely affected their operations and performance.
“The capital released to these agencies was zero in 2025, and this has significantly impacted their ability to perform. We appeal to the Executive to ensure that capital funds are released promptly to enable these institutions to function effectively,” Rep. Akinlade said.
