It is lamentable that since the present democratic dispensation in 1999, the National Assembly (NASS) has been enmeshed in budget padding controversies. Unfortunately, every budget cycle has its own share of budget padding, through which some aspects of the budget are intentionally inflated by the lawmakers to create extra funds to cover unforeseen expenses or to serve other interests not included in the budget.
Recently, BudgIT, a civic tech non-profit organisation that promotes and monitors transparency in public finance, alleged that it has uncovered 11,122 projects valued at N6.93 trillion inserted by NASS in the 2025 budget. It describes the practice as fraudulent and an assault on fiscal responsibility. According to the organisation, the practice which began years ago as an ‘isolated irregularity,’ has evolved into a “deeply entrenched culture of exploitation and abuse by high ranking members” of NASS.
President Bola Tinubu had on February 28, signed the 2025 budget totaling N54.99trillion into law after an upward review of the initial budget of N49.7trillion presented before a joint session of NASS. The upward review marked a 100 per cent rise in the 2024 budget of N27.5trillion. But BudgIT revealed that of the 11,122 projects inserted by the legislature, include 238 projects valued above N5billion each, with a cumulative value of N2.29trillion. It claimed that the projects inserted and the amount attached to them cannot be justified.
This is in addition to 984 other projects worth N1.71trillion. Besides, BudgIT stated that 1,119 projects were “indiscriminately inserted” in the budget, whose value ranges between N500 million and N1billion, totaling N641.38billion. It also alleged that the budget padding serves narrow political interests and personal gains. Also startling is revelation that hundreds of other phony projects worth trillions of naira were inserted as streetlights in some senatorial districts, including N6.74billion earmarked as “empowerment of traditional rulers” across the country.
About 39 per cent of the padding, according to BudgiT investigation, was forced into the budget allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture, which has inflated its total vote to N1.95trillion from the initial N242.5billion. However, both chambers of the legislature have denied the allegations, and insist that they did nothing wrong, but followed the provisions of the Constitution in scrutinizing and approving the 2025 budget presented by President Tinubu. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, described those behind the allegations as “ludicrous political ball-boys and dark angels of falsehood… interested in stirring disaffection against members of the National Assembly.”
Despite the denial, budget padding has become a national embarrassment. It represents a dent on our budgeting process and must be jettisoned. There is urgent need for integrity, transparency and accountability in the nation’s budgeting process and return to evidence-based planning. This is not the first time that the NASS would be entangled in budget padding. And in almost all of them, enough deterrent measures have not been put in place.
Therefore, the recurring culture of budget padding in the National Assembly must be done away with. It does not in any way help our development effort. It will weaken trust and divert the much-needed resources away from critical development priorities. The country cannot afford to run projects without purpose. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) should take immediate action on all allegations made by BudgiT.
The presidency should also speak up on the matter.
The amount involved is huge to be ignored. The money could have made more impact in education, health, and poverty sectors. It is also greater than the N6.1trillion allocated to national security in the 2025 budget. Let our budgets serve the interests of Nigerians and accelerate development efforts, and not the interest of a privileged few.
Sadly, budget padding persists in spite of many Nigerians battling with rising poverty and insecurity. The government is yet to address the challenge of having over 20 million out-of-school children. It also has not sufficiently addressed the inadequate funding for Micro, Small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs). According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), the MSMEs contribute 46.32 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 96.9 per cent of businesses and 87.9 per cent employment in the country.