The Katsina State Government has earmarked over N341 billion for policies and programmes in the social sector in the 2026 fiscal year.

Governor Dikko Radda disclosed this while presenting the 2026 budget proposal before the State House of Assembly on Tuesday.

Radda presented a budget estimate of N897.8 billion, representing an increase of N205.6 billion over the 2025 budget.

He explained that recurrent expenditure is expected to gulp N167.7 billion, or 18.68 percent of the total budget, while capital expenditure will take N730 billion, or 81.32 percent.

According to him, personnel costs, including salaries and pensions, would account for N72.2 billion, while N95.5 billion is set aside for other recurrent and overhead expenses.

The budget is to be funded through N577 billion in recurrent revenue, comprising N489 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and N88.5 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR).

The governor said the administrative sector is to receive N177 billion, representing 19.74 percent of the total budget, while the economic sector will take N371.8 billion, or 41.42 percent.

He added that the law and justice sector will get N7.3 billion (0.81 percent), while the social sector is allocated N341 billion (38.03 percent).

Radda further disclosed that the Ministry of Basic, Secondary and Higher Education will receive N156.2 billion (17.41 percent); Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, N117 billion (13.05 percent); and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, N78.6 billion (8.76 percent).

Other allocations include N67.5 billion (7.52 percent) to the Ministry of Health, N62.8 billion (7 percent) to the Ministry of Water Resources, and N53.8 billion (6 percent) to the Ministry of Environment.

The governor urged the House of Assembly to expedite deliberations and approval of the budget to ensure timely implementation of government policies and programmes.

In his response, Speaker of the House, Nasiru Yahaya, assured that lawmakers would begin immediate budget defence sessions with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

He pledged that the process would be thorough and fast-tracked to ensure continuous delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

In late September, scores of communities in the Kankara council of the state were sacked by the hoodlums despite the subsisting truce.

The incident reportedly forced thousands to flee their homes. It was learnt that several of the victims fled to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and have vowed not to return.

Dustinma Local Council had struck a similar agreement, making it the 12th to have undertaken the adventure. The council area entered into the deal at the weekend, with several community and traditional leaders, as well as dozens of the bandits, in attendance.

The other councils that have entered into similar deals include Musawa, Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Matazu, Kurfi, Faskari, Kankara, Sabuwa, and Dandume.

During the Dutsinma peace deal, several bandits were seen armed with sophisticated weapons, a situation that raised concerns among observers about the genuineness of the agreement, as no weapons were laid down or surrendered.