An investigation by civic organisation BudgIT has uncovered what appears to be one of Nigeria’s largest budget manipulation scandals in recent years. The organisation has revealed that members of the National Assembly inserted a staggering 11,122 projects valued at N6.93 trillion into the 2025 Federal Government Budget without proper justification or alignment with national priorities.
Thank you for reading this post; don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
Systematic Budget Manipulation
According to BudgIT’s detailed analysis released Tuesday, what began as occasional irregularities has evolved into “a deeply entrenched culture of exploitation and abuse,” with the budget process becoming “a playground for self-serving political interests” led by high-ranking National Assembly members.
The investigation found 238 projects valued above five billion naira each, with a cumulative worth of N2.29 trillion, inserted with minimal or no justification. Additionally, 984 projects totalling N1.71 trillion and another 1,119 projects within the range of N500 million to one billion naira (amounting to N641.38 billion) were added indiscriminately to the budget.
“These insertions, far from promoting development, appear tailored to satisfy narrow political interests and personal gains rather than the citizens’ interests,” BudgIT stated in its report.
Constituency-Specific Allocations
The investigation revealed clear patterns suggesting these insertions serve political rather than national development purposes. BudgIT identified 3,573 projects worth N653.19 billion assigned directly to federal constituencies and 1,972 projects worth N444.04 billion earmarked for senatorial districts.
Among the most egregious examples highlighted in the report:
– 1,477 streetlight projects worth N393.29 billion
– 538 borehole projects totalling N114.53 billion
– 2,122 ICT projects valued at N505.79 billion
– N6.74 billion allocated for “empowerment of traditional rulers”
Ministry Budgets Severely Distorted
The Ministry of Agriculture appears to have borne the brunt of these insertions, with 39% of all added projects—4,371 worth N1.72 trillion—forced into its budget. This manipulation inflated the ministry’s capital allocation from N242.5 billion to a massive N1.95 trillion, representing an eight-fold increase.
Other ministries were not spared. The Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning saw their allocations balloon by N994.98 billion and N1.1 trillion, respectively, solely due to these insertions.
Agencies Used as “Dumping Grounds”
Perhaps most concerning is BudgIT’s finding that specific agencies are being used as “dumping grounds” for politically motivated projects despite lacking the technical capacity or mandate to execute them.
The report specifically highlighted the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (Lagos) and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, as examples of institutions being forced to manage projects entirely outside their scope and expertise.
The Federal Cooperative College, Oji River—primarily a training institution—was inexplicably tasked with managing:
– Three billion naira for utility vehicles to support farmers and distribution agents
– N1.5 billion for rural electrification in Rivers State
– One billion naira for solar streetlights in Enugu State
“These are examples of agencies operating outside their mandates, managing projects unrelated to their statutory functions, and adding zero value to national development,” the report noted.
Official Silence Despite Evidence
BudgIT’s findings come after months of attempting to engage government institutions on these budget anomalies. The organisation launched “The Budget is a Mess” campaign in the latter part of 2024 and submitted formal letters detailing their findings to the Presidency, the Budget Office, and the National Assembly.
Despite acknowledgement of receipt, none of these institutions has provided a substantive response or taken responsibility for addressing the irregularities. BudgIT characterised the Presidency’s silence as particularly troubling, suggesting that “in the face of overwhelming evidence, [it] amounts to complicity.”
Expert Commentary
Gabriel Okeowo, BudgIT’s Country Director, described the situation as “not just alarming—it is an assault on fiscal responsibility.”
“This trend, increasingly normalised, undermines the purpose of national budgeting, distorts development priorities, and redirects scarce resources into the hands of political elites,” Okeowo stated. “Nigeria cannot afford to run a government of projects without purpose. We urgently need transparency, constitutional clarity, and a return to evidence-based planning that puts citizens, not politics, at the centre of the budget.”
Calls for Reform and Accountability
In light of these findings, BudgIT has issued several calls to action. The organisation urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “exercise stronger executive leadership” and reform the budgeting process to ensure alignment with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021-2025) and other national priorities.
Additionally, BudgIT calls on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to seek constitutional interpretation from the Supreme Court regarding the extent of the National Assembly’s appropriation powers, particularly its authority to introduce new capital projects without Executive approval.
The organisation also expressed hope that anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) would “track these projects and ensure Nigeria gets value for money.”
Broader Implications for Governance
The revelations raise serious questions about budget transparency and the efficacy of Nigeria’s checks and balances system. If confirmed, the scale of these insertions—₦6.93 trillion—represents a significant portion of the entire federal budget being redirected outside normal planning processes.
BudgIT has called on citizens, media organisations, civil society, and the international development community to demand reform, characterising the issue as “not merely about financial mismanagement—it is a matter of justice, equity, and the future of accountable governance in Nigeria.”
The organisation concluded its report with a stark reminder: “The 2025 Budget must serve the interests of the Nigerian people, not a privileged few.”
Follow the AkweyaTV channel on WhatsApp: http://bit.ly/3I7mQVx
Or scan the QR code:
