The National Agricultural Land Development Authority, an agency of the Federal Government, has received a significant boost in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, with a total allocation of N25bn, up from N7.43bn in 2025.
In 2025, NALDA’s allocation was entirely for capital expenditure, primarily for land acquisition, land clearing, and the purchase of agricultural equipment, aimed at increasing food production across the country. There were no separate recurrent costs in the 2025 budget.
The 2026 budget, however, shows a more detailed and expansive approach. Recurrent expenditure totals N1.04bn, covering personnel costs of N274.75m and overheads of N763.26m.
Under personnel costs, salaries and wages are pegged at N198.97m, while allowances and social contributions total N75.78m, including N44.88m for regular allowances, N9.39m for NHIS, N18.79m for the employer’s contributory pension, and N2.72m for the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.
Overhead costs cover a wide range of administrative expenses. Travel and transport take N241.81m, utilities are budgeted at N20.2m, while materials and supplies cost N47.25m.
Maintenance services account for N56.5m, covering vehicles, office furniture, buildings, IT equipment, and generators. Training expenses total N70m, split between local training at N30m and international training at N40m.
Other overhead items include security operations at N90m, consulting and professional services at N45m for legal, financial, and surveying needs, fuel and lubricants at N60m, insurance premiums at N45m, and miscellaneous expenses of N87.5m covering refreshments, honoraria, publicity, medicals, courier services, welfare packages, budget administration, and monitoring activities.
Capital expenditure dominates the 2026 budget at N23.97bn, reflecting the agency’s focus on project execution and asset development.
Fixed assets will cost N2.3bn, including N245m for office buildings, N60.48m for motorcycles, N52.5m for trucks, N192.5m for office furniture, N245m for computers, and N1.51bn for agricultural equipment.
Construction and provision of fixed assets are allocated N2.62bn, covering housing projects, public schools, agricultural facilities, and roads. Environmental preservation, specifically erosion and flood control, receives N14m.
The largest single allocation under capital spending is N19.03bn for other capital projects, mainly non-tangible assets. Of this amount, N18.87bn is earmarked for research and development, while N161m is set aside for monitoring and evaluation.
The jump from N7.43bn in 2025 to N25bn in 2026 reflects a shift from basic land and equipment acquisition to more strategic investment in research, monitoring, infrastructure, and mechanisation, all aimed at boosting food production and agricultural productivity nationwide.
