By Ebenezer Mabinuola
Nigeria’s 2025 national budget is under fire after civic-tech group BudgIT revealed that lawmakers allegedly inserted over ₦6.93 trillion in questionable projects – roughly 13% of the ₦54.99 trillion total – without executive input or justification.
In an 18-page report released on May 20, BudgIT detailed 11,122 inserted projects, accusing the National Assembly of turning the budget into a political tool at the expense of national development. “This is institutionalised abuse,” said BudgIT’s Country Director, Gabriel Okeowo.
Some of the most glaring anomalies include:
- ₦393.29 billion for 1,477 streetlight projects,
- ₦505.79 billion for ICT-related contracts,
- ₦114.53 billion for boreholes,
- ₦6.74 billion for traditional rulers’ “empowerment.”
The Ministry of Agriculture’s capital budget ballooned by over 700%, from ₦242.5 billion to ₦1.95 trillion. Similar bloating was reported in the Ministries of Science and Technology and Budget and Planning.
BudgIT also flagged cases where obscure institutions were allocated billions for projects far outside their mandates – such as a federal college tasked with electrification projects and agricultural centres managing scholarships and health schemes.
The Senate swiftly dismissed the findings as “baseless,” with Senate Media Chair Yemi Adaramodu insisting the budget reflected executive recommendations. Civil society groups and experts, however, condemned the insertions as “legalised looting.”
Governance advocate Auwal Rafsanjani (CISLAC) and Toyin Raheem (CACOBAG) warned that unchecked budget manipulation threatens national stability and urged citizens to demand accountability.
The scandal reignites debate over legislative overreach, echoing past controversies, including the 2016 budget padding exposé and Senator Abdul Ningi’s 2024 claim of ₦3.7 trillion missing funds.
BudgIT’s recommendations include:
- Stronger executive oversight and a Supreme Court ruling on legislative budget powers,
- Transparency reforms and independent project verification,
- Empowering CSOs and citizens in budget monitoring,
- Legal enforcement and prosecution of budget-related corruption.
“No nation can thrive on deceitful budgeting,” Okeowo warned. “Reform is urgent.”
As public pressure mounts, all eyes are now on the Tinubu administration’s next move.
