A round-up of public finance news stories from the Middle East and Africa you might have missed this week (June 3–7).

Egypt's budget deficit estimated to hit EGP 197.5bn by end of June

Egypt’s budget deficit is estimated to swell up to EGP 197.5bn, exceeding previous forecasts, despite growing concerns prompting calls for austerity (Daily News Egypt).

Sudan's economy facing significant challenges, says minister

The Sudanese minister of finance and national economy Ali Mahmoud Abdel-Rasool has acknowledged that the country’s economy is facing significant headwinds despite an austerity programme implemented in the wake of South Sudan’s secession (Sudan Tribune).

South African municipalities have spent only 39.3% of their budget

Municipalities had spent only R21.2bn‚ or 39.3%‚ of their aggregated adjusted capital budget of R54bn by the end of the third-quarter of the 2012/13 financial year‚ the Treasury has reported (eNews Channel Africa, South Africa).

Nigerian finance minister and Senate disagree over independent budget office

Nigeria's minister of finance and co-ordinating minister of the economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, expressed stiff opposition to moves by the Senate to remove the Budget Office from her ministry and make it an independent body (Nigerian Tribune).

Tanzania's unnecessary spending ‘to go up by 5%'

The government’s overall unnecessary budget expenditure is expected to go up by 5% in 2013/14 instead of descending as envisaged, analysts have claimed (Daily News, Tanzania).