External reserve dropped slightly by 0.6 per cent from $28.35 billion in January 22 to $28.19 billion in January 295. Considering the continuous decline, government has stepped up efforts towards financing the deficit in the proposed budget through borrowing. At the forex market, the official exchange rate remained unchanged at N197/$ while the naira depreciated at the parallel market by 2.36 percent from N297/$ to N304/$ between January 22 and 296. Despite the huge spread between the official and parallel market exchange rates, the monetary authorities maintained its fixed exchange rate regime at the official forex market. It is expected that if the demand pressure for dollar persists, the value of naira may decline in the near term.

This study reviews and assesses the 2016 budget of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in line with IMFsbudget assessment indicators, namely: comprehensiveness, transparency, and realism. The assessment is based on clear understanding of the present administrations objectives, which are: to achieve socio-economic and infrastructural development, to diversify the Nigerian economy, and to achieve improved security of lives and properties.