…Civil Society Group Continues to Shine Light on Budget Transparency Issues
By Temi Olowu
Tech-driven fiscal transparency organization BudgIT has once again brought to light questionable budgetary practices in Nigeria, continuing its crusade against what it describes as “budget padding” by National Assembly members.
On Monday, BudgIT revealed that significant capital expenditures have been inserted into the 2024 budget for projects that appear irrelevant to the government agencies tasked with their execution.
The latest discovery involves a N200 million allocation to the Agricultural Research and Management Institute, Ilorin meant for road repairs in Abuja and streetlight installations in Bayelsa and Kano—tasks unrelated to the institute’s mandate.
BudgIT criticized these allocations on the X platform, stating, “This isn’t research; it’s misappropriation.”
This revelation is part of a broader pattern uncovered by BudgIT in recent weeks, where huge resources have been allocated to federal agencies for projects unrelated to their primary functions.
The group has been vocal in its concerns about the manipulation of budgetary processes by legislators for personal or regional interests, often at the expense of national priorities.
Background: Historical Issues With Budget Padding
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Budget padding—or the practice of inserting dubious or unrelated projects into the national budget—has long been a challenge in Nigeria’s public sector. BudgIT’s recent findings add to growing concerns about the transparency and integrity of the 2024 budget, which follows a historical pattern of inflated budgets, inefficient resource allocation, and missed development opportunities.
In a post last week, BudgIT flagged the inclusion of N1 billion for sports complexes and N1.5 billion for road repairs in Ikorodu, Lagos, within the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s budget.
“How did N1 billion for sports complexes end up in the Agriculture Ministry’s budget?” BudgIT questioned, calling for greater scrutiny ahead of the 2025 budget.
The group also highlighted an N80 million allocation to Nigeria’s space agency for pregnancy sensitization, calling it an “irrelevant” project and accusing lawmakers of exploiting the budget process for personal enrichment. “This is @nassnigeria members looting through budget insertions!” BudgIT wrote.
A Call for Transparency Ahead of 2025
BudgIT’s ongoing investigations into the 2024 budget have raised alarm about the lack of oversight in Nigeria’s budget approval process. Critics argue that these insertions lead to bloated budgets and inefficiencies, diverting resources from genuine development projects.
As preparations begin for the 2025 budget, BudgIT is urging Nigerians to hold their lawmakers accountable and prevent further misappropriation of public funds.
The organization has been a consistent advocate for fiscal transparency, highlighting the need for better oversight to ensure that national budgets serve the interests of the people rather than personal or regional agendas.
(Edited by Oludare Mayowa; omayowa@globalfinancialdigest.com; Newsroom: +234 8033 964 138)
