NewStats: 3,259,252 , 8,169,613 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 01:50 PM 5o6k23

The organisation’s analysis shows that 238 projects, each valued above N5 billion and totalling N2.29 trillion, were inserted with little or no justification.

The National Assembly has inserted 11,122 projects valued at N6.93 trillion into the 2025 Nigerian government Budget.

BudgIT, a leading civic technology organisation advocating for transparency and ability in Nigeria’s public finance report reveals that what started as occasional irregularities in the budget has become a deeply rooted system of exploitation, with the National Assembly using the budget process to advance political interests rather than national development.

The organisation’s analysis shows that 238 projects, each valued above N5 billion and totalling N2.29 trillion, were inserted with little or no justification.

Furthermore, 984 projects worth N1.71 trillion and 1,119 projects valued between N500 million and N1 billion, amounting to N641.38 billion, were indiscriminately added, sparking concerns about their relevance and alignment with the country’s priorities.

Gabriel Okeowo, BudgIT’s Country Director, said, “The insertion of over 11,000 projects worth N6.93 trillion into the 2025 budget by the National Assembly is 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.

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.”

The report highlights that 3,573 projects worth N653.19 billion were directly assigned to federal constituencies, while 1,972 projects valued at N444.04 billion were allocated to senatorial districts.

Significant anomalies include 1,477 streetlight projects worth N393.29 billion, 538 boreholes totalling N114.53 billion, 2,122 ICT projects valued at N505.79 billion, and N6.74 billion earmarked for “empowerment of traditional rulers.”

BudgIT also noted that 39 per cent of all inserted projects—4,371 projects worth N1.72 trillion—were forced into the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget, inflating its capital allocation from N242.5 billion to N1.95 trillion.

The Ministries of Science and Technology and Budget and Economic Planning also received bloated allocations of N994.98 billion and N1.1 trillion, respectively.

The misuse of agencies such as the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, was also emphasised.

These institutions were burdened with projects unrelated to their mandates, leading to inefficiency and waste. For instance, the Federal Cooperative College was assigned N3 billion for utility vehicles, N1.5 billion for rural electrification in Rivers State, and N1 billion for solar streetlights in Enugu State.

Despite BudgIT’s formal letters to the Presidency, Budget Office, and National Assembly under the “The Budget is a Mess” campaign, no institution has taken responsibility or responded to the findings. The silence from the Presidency remains particularly concerning.

BudgIT has urged President Bola Tinubu to exercise stronger executive leadership in reforming the budgeting process to align with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021–2025).

It has also called on the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to seek a constitutional interpretation of the National Assembly’s powers to insert capital projects without Executive approval. Anticorruption agencies such as the EFCC and IC have been called to investigate these insertions.

The organisation also appealed to citizens, the media, civil society, and development partners to demand ability and reform, stressing that the 2025 budget must serve Nigerians’ interests rather than those of a privileged few.

https://saharareporters.com/2025/05/20/budget-padding-national-assembly-inserts-projects-worth-n693trillion-2025-nigerian?fbclid=IwY2xjawKZO_tleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNc2kwREw3SnREdkdMT2pSAR4w2opqwMbsptERgU2AIjjKg7vUz31KOWuJ4owRBcUadwVm0UHmfHcHSkedbw_aem_CFPC5iLaKHbArtfQpQ80fw

What exactly are we supposed to do with this information? Nigerians are at the mercy of their oppressors and chopping na turn by turn

Maxymilliano:


https://saharareporters.com/2025/05/20/budget-padding-national-assembly-inserts-projects-worth-n693trillion-2025-nigerian?fbclid=IwY2xjawKZO_tleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNc2kwREw3SnREdkdMT2pSAR4w2opqwMbsptERgU2AIjjKg7vUz31KOWuJ4owRBcUadwVm0UHmfHcHSkedbw_aem_CFPC5iLaKHbArtfQpQ80fw

Ronu boys will come out now to defend them, ignorantly believing they're defending their tribal god's regime

The entire country is truly a crime scene

Nigeria is an illusion! Nothing more than a criminal enterprise for these crooks.

I stopped reading at the headline. The brazen corruption going on in the National Assembly will not give me high blood pressure. I refuse to say more for my sanity.

Next please!!

Eh yah

See budget padding

And that's irrespective of the political parties oo

In my entire existence on this earth , I am never going to thumbprint or vote for any parliamentarian again, once I vote in the governorship and presidential level,I am going straight home. My household will never vote in any parliamentary election again

Bunch of criminals

Attention... Naija will never get better.......

I still don't know why executive allow lawmakers to be inserting whatever they wish into budget ...... claiming democracy and constuency projects, YET, no where in the country where we can see, the so-called constuency projects.


Democracy Na scam.
Still imagine the fake story they sold for us during the military era about democracy.

Very unfortunate, the leader of such struggles worse than dictators, he was fighting then.

Chai... Sharing has started already

MusIim musIim ticket oo.

Nigerian need to wake up, it's high time the masses rise up against this evil politicians

This country will crawl on its stomach like a snake before una go get sense.

Significant anomalies include 1,477 streetlight projects worth N393.29 billion


393,000,000,000 divided by 1477 = 266,079,891 Per Street light!

These street lights will hardly last for 5 years.


538 boreholes totalling N114.53 billion

114,000,000,000 divided by 538 = 211,895,910 Per borehole

Naija we hail thee...

I thought they inserted into Nata...

The first time in recorded Nigerian history where a Senate President and House of Rep Speaker will openly endorse a second term for a President two (2) years before a General Election.

These people are meant to check the excesses of the executive as an independent arm of Government.

I say it an I repeat it again " The General Elections in 2027 will be between the mass of the Nigerian Electorate against these Politicians".

If PBAT gets a second term then call me a bast**d.

We can now see crystal clear the reason for the defections two (2) years before another election.

The defections are not just strange but very suspect.

No new milestone in the polity, excruciating poverty, mass unemployment, poor power supply but just few billionaires emerging from the National till.

2027 will be the reward time for those guys.

Nothing new under the sun

The level of acceptance and complacency from the comments shows that Nigeria is doomed.

People are just too docile in this country.


Don't you know that any money the government of a country spends is your blood, sweat and life.

It will come back to you either through direct tax or inflation. Even if they print more money, it'll still come through your pocket as citizens(through inflation).

BudgIT has done the assignment for Nigerians, exposing the madness, but for them (Nigerians) to rise and challenge government, they are hoping for God to come down from heaven and defend them.

Anyway, congratulations in advance to Nigerian politicians, business elites and their family,... Another perennial multi trillion jackpot (because Nigerians are dense).

Fiscus105:
I still don't have why executive allow lawmakers to be inserting whatever they wish into budget ...... claiming democracy and constuency project, yet no where in the country where we can see the so-called constuency projects.


Democracy Na scam. Still imagine the fake story they sold for us during the military era about democracy.

Very unfortunate, the leader of such struggles worse than dictators he was fighting then.

Lol they act together

Beremx:
I stopped reading at the headline. The brazen corruption going on in the National Assembly will not give me high blood pressure. I refuse to say more for my sanity.

Next please!!

Till date, I still wonder why they give reps and senators money for projects, and lots of money for that matter. You will either not see the project or see one useless pako bridge or electric pol as project! These guys end up oppressing us with tese monies. God abeg when will things get better in Nigeria! Present govt is not even doing anything differently.