BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation championing budget transparency in Africa, disclosed that Nigerian federal lawmakers inserted N6.93 trillion worth of projects into the 2025 national budget without adequate justification. Their 18-page report details 11,122 projects—12.5% of the N54.99 trillion signed budget—that lack alignment with national development goals.
President Bola Tinubu’s originally proposed N49.7 trillion budget was increased to N54.2 trillion due to improved revenue projections before being signed into law at N54.99 trillion. BudgIT attributes much of this growth to legislative insertions, including 238 projects each exceeding N5 billion, totaling N2.29 trillion, and thousands of other projects with questionable relevance and justification.
Notably, the Ministry of Agriculture’s capital budget was inflated from N242.5 billion to N1.95 trillion, driven by 4,371 inserted projects. Other ministries, such as Science and Technology and Budget and Economic Planning, saw similar increases. The report also highlights numerous projects assigned to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) outside their legal mandates.
BudgIT calls for urgent reforms to ensure transparency, independent verification, and alignment of projects with national priorities, warning that unchecked political patronage risks undermining fiscal discipline.
The Senate rejected BudgIT’s findings as misinformation, while the House of Representatives has not commented.
Source: Swifteradio.com
