BudgIT, a civic tech organization focused on public finance transparency, has uncovered alarming evidence of budget manipulation in Nigeria's 2025 fiscal plan. According to their investigation, the National Assembly inserted 11,122 projects worth N6.93 trillion into the 2025 budget, raising serious concerns about fiscal responsibility and political interference.

The findings were revealed on Monday when BudgIT posted on social media platform X: "We have combed through the 2025 FG Budget, and you will be shocked at what we found." The organization's detailed analysis comes after the National Assembly passed a budget of N54.99 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year, up from President Bola Tinubu's initial proposal of N49.7 trillion.

Gabriel Okeowo, BudgIT's country director, described the insertions as "not just alarming" but "an assault on fiscal responsibility." He further stated that this increasingly normalized trend "undermines the purpose of national budgeting, distorts development priorities, and redirects scarce resources into the hands of political elites."

Breakdown of Inserted Projects

BudgIT's analysis revealed several categories of concerning insertions:

- 238 projects valued above N5 billion each, totaling N2.29 trillion

- 984 additional projects worth N1.71 trillion

- 1,119 projects ranging from N500 million to N1 billion, collectively worth over N641 billion

- 3,573 projects worth N653.19 billion designated for federal constituencies

- 1,972 projects valued at N444.04 billion tied to senatorial districts

The organization also highlighted specific categories of questionable allocations, including 1,477 streetlight projects worth N393.29 billion, 2,122 ICT-related projects totaling N505.79 billion, and 538 borehole projects at N114.53 billion. Additionally, N6.74 billion was earmarked for the "empowerment of traditional rulers."

Ministerial Budget Inflation

Perhaps most concerning is BudgIT's finding that 39 percent of all insertions—4,371 projects valued at N1.72 trillion—were pushed into the Ministry of Agriculture's budget. This inflated the ministry's capital allocation from the originally proposed N242.5 billion to a staggering N1.95 trillion.

Other ministries, including Budget and Economic Planning, and Science and Technology, also saw significant budget increases through these insertions.

Call for Reform

BudgIT has called on President Tinubu to demonstrate executive leadership by reforming the budget process. The organization urged that the budget should align with Nigeria's Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021–2025).

Additionally, BudgIT recommended that the Attorney General of the Federation seek a constitutional interpretation of the National Assembly's appropriation powers, particularly regarding its ability to introduce new capital projects without executive concurrence.

This revelation comes at a critical time for Nigeria's economy, as the country continues to face significant fiscal challenges and growing public debt. The findings raise important questions about transparency, accountability, and the proper use of public funds in the national budgeting process.