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…Imo, Lagos, Kwara top list
By Chinelo Obogo
Civil society organization, BudGiT, has released a report exposing widespread fraud in government projects across Nigeria, with N8.61 billion misappropriated through 92 fraudulent projects in states nationwide.
The investigation which was conducted through BudGiT’s project monitoring platform @TrackaNG, tracked 2,760 projects across the country and uncovered fund diversion, project relocation, and poor execution.
According to the findings, of the total projects monitored, 1,438 were completed, 660 remain in progress, 471 were not completed, 99 were abandoned, and 92 were fraudulently delivered.
BudGiT said the fraudulent projects were characterized by diversion of funds, relocation of projects to undisclosed locations, disbursement of money for projects already completed in previous budget cycles without new implementation, partial completion, and substandard execution.
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According to the report, Imo State recorded the highest incidence of fraudulent projects at 17.43%, followed by Lagos (12.73%), Kwara (11.76%), Abia (10.67%), and Ogun (8.33%). These five states account for 57.1% of all fraudulently delivered projects, representing N8.61 billion of the total N15.07 billion disbursed for projects in this category.
Following multiple national grid collapses in 2024, Tracka examined dam-related projects valued at N432 million across 13 states and it was discovered that none of the 16 dam projects tracked were completed, with four abandoned, six progressing slowly, and six yet to commence despite receiving funding.
In the healthcare sector, investigators monitored 47 primary healthcare centers across 25 states. While 26 centers showed visible improvements, eight had none despite being officially listed as revitalised, and one was completely abandoned.
In the Niger Delta, of the 48 projects tracked across Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Rivers states, 29 were completed with community benefits, but 13 had not commenced, four were ongoing, and two were untraceable despite confirmed funding.
Despite the widespread failures, the report highlighted 15 success stories driven by citizen engagement, including the revitalization of Kaida Sabo Primary Healthcare Centre, renovations at Nawairudeen Primary School in Plateau State, completion of a stalled healthcare center in Ikirun, empowerment programs for persons with disabilities in Katsina, erosion control initiatives in Rivers State, and clean water access through borehole projects in Akwa Ibom.
BudGiT urged the federal government to publish detailed project information, provide timely disbursement data, strengthen supervision, and prioritize socially impactful projects. The organization also called on state governments to treat federal allocations as strategic development tools rather than discretionary or patronage funds.
