Nigeria has reaffirmed its leadership role in Africa by championing sustainable financing within the African Union (AU), as the Union records marked improvement in member-state contributions to its 2025 Regular Budget.
Speaking at the 47th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council held at the Sipopo Conference Centre, Malabo, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, presented the Report of the Joint Sitting of the Ministerial Committee on Scale of Assessment and the Committee of Fifteen Ministers of Finance (F15).
Represented by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Mr. Edun disclosed that $146.22 million, or 73% of the AU’s approved $200 million Regular Budget, had been collected as of June 30, 2025. The figure marks a significant improvement from the previous year, with 30 member states now fully up to date with payments, up from 20 in 2024.
Arrears collections have also seen progress, reaching $14.99 million, which is 19% of outstanding arrears. In addition, $131.8 million has been disbursed by international partners to support 2025 programmes and peace operations across the continent.
Despite this progress, the report flagged a $3.82 million discrepancy in the arrears write-off attributed to Libya, urging swift implementation of auditor recommendations.
Highlighting the importance of timely contributions, Mr. Edun said:
“These figures show that political will is translating into timely payments. We urge remaining members to clear their balances so the Union can plan with certainty and reduce its dependency on partner funding.”
He stressed Nigeria’s position that Africa must finance its own priorities first, adding that full and prompt payments unlock greater bargaining power, accelerate the goals of Agenda 2063, and reinforce public confidence in the AU’s capacity to deliver value.
This stance aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader vision of a financially resilient African Union and complements ongoing reforms in Nigeria focused on revenue mobilisation, fiscal transparency, and debt sustainability.
The AU Executive Council, made up of foreign affairs ministers and other designated officials from member states, prepares decisions and policies for adoption by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The 47th session, which took place July 10–11, 2025, serves as a precursor to the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting between the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Regional Mechanisms.
With Nigeria at the forefront, the African Union appears better positioned to meet its obligations and deliver tangible benefits to citizens across the continent.