A group photograph of some of the participants at the conference
The Department of Economics and Development Studies at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), in partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), held a workshop on “Practical Public Finance, Budget Analysis, and Evidence-Based Policy Making” to enhance service delivery in Nigeria’s public sector.
Declaring the workshop open, AE-FUNAI Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Elom, represented by the Dean of Social Sciences, Prof. Kalu Ebi Uma, praised the initiative for linking theory with practice and providing students with insights into public finance and governance.
NILDS Director-General, Pro. Abubakar Sulaiman, highlighted the collaboration as a means to bridge the gap between academia and policymaking. He stressed that research-driven approaches enable realistic, evidence-based fiscal solutions, particularly with the 2026 Appropriation Bill approaching the National Assembly.
Senior Research Fellow Dr Oluwasola Omoju explained that budget analysis extends beyond numbers, encompassing legal and institutional frameworks such as the 1999 Constitution, Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, and the Annual Appropriation Act.
Participants were trained on revenue, expenditure, deficit, and debt components, as well as the role of the National Assembly in budget scrutiny.
Head of Department, Dr Anuli Ogbuagu, lauded NILDS’s contributions, noting the workshop strengthens the link between scholarship and legislative practice, equipping students to engage with real-world fiscal challenges.
Distinguished resource persons were also honoured for their contributions to fiscal responsibility and public finance education.
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