Mrs. Ahmed said the N3.09 trillion deficit in its 2022 budget implementation between January and April underscored the fiscal challenges confronting the Federal Government.
By Emma Ogbuehi
As Nigerians continue to lament the rising cost of subsidy on petrol, the Federal Government, on Thursday, said it will make provision for subsidy in 2023 to the tune of N6.72 trillion, even as it lamented recording a N3.09 trillion deficit in its 2022 budget implementation between January and April.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, made this disclosure in Abuja on Thursday during the 2023 – 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategic Paper (MTEF and FSP) Public Consultation.
Zainab Ahmed stated that the government has projected fiscal outcomes in the medium term under two scenarios based on the underlying budget parameters/assumptions.
Under the first scenario, the Minister said that “the subsidy on PMS is estimated at N6.72 trillion for the full year 2023”. This amount she said “will remain and be fully provided for by the NNPC on behalf of the federation”.
The second scenario the minister explained is that “petrol subsidy will remain up to mid-2023 based on the 18-month extension announced early 2021, in which case only N3.36 trillion will be provided for”.
The Minister cautioned that “both scenarios have implications for net accretion to the Federation Account and projected deficit levels”.
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Zainab Ahmed noted: “There will be tighter enforcement of the performance management framework for Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) that will significantly increase operating surplus/dividend remittances in 2023”.
Mrs. Ahmed said the N3.09 trillion deficit in its 2022 budget implementation between January and April underscored the fiscal challenges confronting the Federal Government.
The Minister also announced that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., which had funded the fuel subsidy until last month, would henceforth leave that responsibility to the federation.
This she said would even create a greater strain on the fiscal position of the federal government, describing fuel subsidy as unsustainable.