BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation promoting budget transparency and accountability in Nigeria and other African countries, said Tuesday that it uncovered 11,122 projects worth N6.93 trillion that were inserted by the National Assembly into the 2025 national budget.
The figure, according to an 18-page report released by the organisation on Tuesday, represents 12.5% of the N54.99 trillion budget signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 28.
In December 2024, President Tinubu presented a proposed budget of N49.7 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year to a joint session of the National Assembly. The budget, titled “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity”, was presented at the House of Representatives chambers in Abuja.
Tinubu said the 2025 Appropriation Bill was designed to ensure macroeconomic stability, reduce poverty, promote economic growth, enhance human capital development, and address insecurity.
In February 2025, the President requested an upward review of the proposed budget from N49.7 trillion to N54.2 trillion. The increase, he said, was due to additional revenue generated by key federal agencies: N1.4 trillion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), N1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service, and N1.8 trillion from other government-owned agencies.
On February 13, 2025, the National Assembly passed a revised budget of N54.99 trillion for the 2025 financial year, further raising the president’s revised proposal by N700 billion. The budget passage followed the presentation of reports by the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations during separate plenaries at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
A detailed analysis of the BudgIT report revealed that 238 projects—each valued above N5 billion and totalling N2.29 trillion—were inserted into the budget with little or no justification.
“Also, 984 projects worth N1.71 trillion and 1,119 projects within the range of N500 million to N1 billion, totalling N641.38 billion, were indiscriminately inserted into the budget,” the report stated.
Further analysis showed that 3,573 projects worth N653.19 billion were directly assigned to federal constituencies, while 1,972 projects valued at N444.04 billion were allocated to senatorial districts.
The report also highlighted numerous questionable projects, including 1,477 streetlight installations worth N393.29 billion, 538 borehole projects totalling N114.53 billion, and 2,122 ICT-related projects valued at N505.79 billion. Additionally, N6.74 billion was earmarked for the “empowerment of traditional rulers”.
“Shockingly, 39% of all insertions—4,371 projects worth N1.72 trillion—were forced into the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget, inflating its capital allocation from N242.5 billion to N1.95 trillion,” BudgIT said.
The Ministries of Science and Technology, and Budget and Economic Planning, also had their capital votes inflated by insertions to N994.98 billion and N1.1 trillion respectively.
‘Projects outside mandates of MDAs’
BudgIT’s findings also revealed that many Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were allocated projects outside their statutory mandates, calling them frivolous and of no tangible value to national development.
It identified the Federal Co-operative College, Oji River; the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, Ilorin; and the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Lagos, as among the agencies saddled with projects outside their core responsibilities.
For example, the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, Ilorin, was allocated N400 million for scholarships and educational grants in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, and another N350 million for a community health insurance scheme in the same district.
BudgIT called on President Tinubu to assert stronger executive leadership to ensure that the national budget aligns with Nigeria’s medium- and long-term development strategy.
“This includes initiating a reform-oriented dialogue with the National Assembly to establish a transparent, equitable, and accountable process for including constituency projects. The current practice—where lawmakers independently insert projects without coordination with national priorities—undermines the credibility of the budget and weakens the impact of public expenditure,” the organisation stated.
“Although unofficial claims suggest that senators and members of the House of Representatives receive N1 billion and N2 billion respectively for constituency projects, our analysis reveals that actual allocations are often significantly higher.
“These discrepancies underscore the urgent need for budgetary reform anchored in data transparency, independent verification of project costs, and a standardised mechanism for tracking the implementation and impact of constituency projects.
“Without such reforms, the budgeting process risks being dominated by political patronage rather than national development goals,” BudgIT added.
joint session of the national assembly during the 2025 budget presentation
History of budget padding in the National Assembly
Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the National Assembly has repeatedly been enmeshed in budget padding controversies—often through project insertions disguised as constituency or zonal intervention projects. Analysts say these practices have consistently undermined fiscal discipline, transparency, and public trust in governance.
In the early days of the Fourth Republic, President Olusegun Obasanjo rejected the 2000 Appropriation Bill, accusing the National Assembly of inflating the budget by about N2 billion. A major flashpoint was the legislature’s unilateral increase of its own allocation from N22.7 billion to N24 billion without executive approval.
Similarly, in 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan declined to assent to the budget over what he described as an unjustified increase in the National Assembly’s allocation—from about N120 billion to N232.74 billion. The standoff was eventually resolved through closed-door negotiations, resulting in a compromise figure of N150 billion.
In 2016, the country was rocked by a major scandal when Abdulmumin Jibrin, then Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, accused Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers of inserting N40 billion into the budget for personal benefit. Jibrin alleged widespread padding through fictitious constituency projects. Although he was suspended by the House, his revelations sparked nationwide attention and exposed deep-rooted anomalies in the budgeting process.
Under President Muhammadu Buhari, similar concerns were raised. In 2019, he accused the National Assembly of unilaterally increasing the budget by about N90 billion and distorting funding allocations for critical infrastructure in favour of projects with limited national value.
In the 2020 fiscal year, the executive decried insertions totalling N264 billion made by lawmakers—additions to existing budgets proposed by MDAs, many of which were deemed not feasible or irrelevant to national development priorities.
The 2021 budget saw another escalation in padding. President Buhari criticised lawmakers for inserting over N500 billion in projects, often under vague subheads or duplications of previously listed programmes.
In 2022, the president flagged further unjustified insertions amounting to N36.59 billion, noting that many of the projects had not been submitted by ministries nor aligned with the government’s economic recovery strategy.
By 2023, allegations of padding had intensified. Lawmakers reportedly inserted new projects worth about N770.72 billion into the budget. In addition, budget lines for several MDAs were increased by N58.55 billion without the knowledge or approval of the executive.
One of the most alarming claims came in 2024, when Senator Abdul Ningi alleged that the national budget was padded to the tune of N3.7 trillion. He claimed this amount could not be traced to any specific line item in the approved document. Although the Senate dismissed his allegations and suspended him, the controversy triggered a national debate over legislative fiscal misconduct and the persistent abuse of budgetary powers.
Senate calls report ‘handiwork of dark angels’; Reps mum
Reacting to the allegations, the Senate dismissed the report as the handiwork of “dark angels of falsehood” bent on stirring controversy and sowing disaffection in the polity.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), in a chat with Daily Trust yesterday, denied the claims, asserting that the 2025 Appropriation Bill was scrutinised and passed based strictly on the figures submitted by the executive.
“The 2025 Appropriation Bill was presented by the executive and was interrogated and passed based on the exact amount presented,” Adaramodu said.
He described the allegations of padding as baseless and politically motivated.
“The dark angels of falsehood and public discord are only interested in stirring disaffection against the National Assembly,” he said. “For a long time, there has been a lull in their sordid trade of irreverent propaganda, hence a resort to the latest spurious allegation of budget padding.”
He added, “We advise all these ubiquitous but ludicrous political ball-boys to engage in patriotic and truthful endeavours instead.”
When contacted yesterday, the Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, said the House spokesman was preparing a response to the report. However, our correspondent had yet to receive it as of press time.
Budget padding not sustainable – Expert
Emeritus Professor of Economics, Ndubisi Nwokoma, said the development reflects deep-rooted corruption and institutional failure.
In a chat, Nwokoma said the persistent padding of the national budget cannot be curtailed by legislation alone, warning that the practice is unsustainable and could lead to the eventual collapse of the system if not decisively addressed.
He argued that Nigeria already has laws against financial misconduct, but they remain ineffective due to a lack of political will and widespread complicity within the system.
“There are criminal laws, civil laws, and civil society organisations raising concerns. But none of these deter those in power from cornering public resources. It’s a culture now,” he said.
Nwokoma stressed that although similar issues of corruption exist in advanced democracies, the extent and impact in Nigeria are exacerbated by poverty and institutional decay.
“One day, the system will collapse. Even in developed countries like the US, corruption happens. But here, it’s worse because of poverty and desperation. Those in public office want to maximise their welfare while they can,” he said.
He painted a grim picture of the complicity of stakeholders, including civil society, whom he accused of often being co-opted through patronage.
“Even those who make noise are sometimes silenced with offers. Once they start benefiting, they stop talking. As someone once said, ‘it’s not good table manners to talk while eating.’ Those who are quiet are usually those eating.
“The ordinary man suffers the most. So yes, we must continue to make noise, create awareness, and hope that at some point, conscience will prevail. But frankly, our laws have failed to address the rot. We can only hope and pray,” he said.
A political scientist and public affairs analyst, Dr. Aminu Hayatu of Bayero University, Kano, described the insertions as a “corruption-enabled encroachment on executive responsibilities”.
Dr. Hayatu said the development violates Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
“The Nigerian constitution provides for a clear separation of powers. Nowhere is the legislature empowered to execute or initiate projects. Their core functions are lawmaking, representation, and oversight—not implementation,” he said.
He criticised legislators for abandoning oversight in favour of direct involvement in project allocation, a shift he said undermines democratic accountability and constitutes a misuse of legislative authority.
Dr. Hayatu argued that the prevalence of budget padding reflects a systemic failure of checks and balances. Rather than curbing executive excesses, he said, lawmakers have joined in a “romance against the rule of law.”
“What we are witnessing is a conspiracy of silence and complicity between the executive and the legislature. It is anti-democratic and a betrayal of the social contract enshrined in our constitution,” he said
He blamed this trend partly on lawmakers’ failure to educate their constituents on the limits of legislative powers. Public pressure to “bring projects home,” he noted, often fuels padding and encourages racketeering.
“If they’re under pressure from their constituencies, they should engage in civic education to inform the public that their job is to represent, not to execute projects,” he said.
Dr. Hayatu also noted that many of the inserted projects are untraceable or poorly executed, serving instead as conduits for looting public funds. He called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other anti-graft agencies to treat legislative insertions as corruption.
“Budget padding and arbitrary insertions are not just administrative misconduct; they are acts of corruption. If unchecked, this abuse will continue to weaken our democratic institutions and erode public trust in governance,” he said.
Also weighing in, Prof. Abubakar Kari, a political sociologist at the University of Abuja, described budget padding as a notorious and recurring feature of Fourth Republic politics.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Prof. Kari said, “The most controversial aspect is that federal legislators do not see anything wrong in it. They stoutly defend their actions—which everyone else sees as anomalous—and argue that it is within their rights to tinker with the budget.”
He identified three key issues at play: legal, governance, and political.
“First is the legal issue. It’s time the appropriate court determines whether legislators have the power to insert projects while considering appropriation bills. I support BudgIT’s call for legal clarity,” he said.
On governance, he said lawmakers often elevate personal interests over national priorities.
“Whether or not they have the right to pad budgets, legislators make nonsense of good governance by inserting projects that defy reason and even common sense—as the BudgIT report shows. This is indefensible, irresponsible, and unacceptable.”
On the political front, Prof. Kari called for a collaborative approach between the Executive and the Legislature in future budget cycles.
“Before the budget is presented, both sides should reach mutually agreeable positions on what the appropriations bill should contain. The Executive should accommodate legitimate constituency interests, while lawmakers must operate within reasonable limits and avoid indiscriminate insertions.”
Political analyst Jackson Lekan Ojo described the situation as a clear case of high-level corruption, warning that the principle of checks and balances in Nigeria is now dead.
In a chat with Daily Trust, Ojo said the 10th National Assembly is “the worst in Nigeria’s political history,” accusing it of compromising its role and lacking transparency in handling the budget.
National Assembly
Rot must be fixed, CSOs charge Nigerians to challenge situation
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), also condemned the National Assembly’s persistent insertions in the budget disguised as constituency projects. He described the practice as a “legalised way of illegally taking public funds for personal interest.”
“Nigerians are no longer shocked,” Rafsanjani said. “Principal officers of the National Assembly continue to insert projects into the budget without needs assessments or meaningful consultation with constituents. Most of these so-called projects have no accountability framework. Nobody knows what they are or how the funds are spent.”
He emphasised that the problem is not just the scale of insertions but the complete lack of transparency and oversight. The absence of traceability, he said, makes the entire process deeply suspect.
“That’s the most worrisome part: no tracking, no monitoring, no citizen participation, and no transparency in how these trillions are spent,” Rafsanjani said. “There’s no evidence these projects reflect the real needs of the people.”
He warned that this erosion of legislative responsibility in favour of budget capture has transformed many lawmakers into opportunists chasing budgetary allocations rather than public servants committed to governance.
Rafsanjani added that this self-serving budget culture is deepening Nigeria’s political crisis. The prospect of accessing billions of naira under the guise of constituency projects, he argued, fuels intense electoral competition and violence.
While lawmakers often claim they are not involved in executing projects, Rafsanjani asserted that many actively collude with contractors, ministries, and agencies to siphon funds.
“We need to fix the rot,” he said. “Constituency projects must be redefined, subjected to public scrutiny, and monitored by independent bodies. Until that happens, this trend will continue to enrich a few at the expense of millions.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG), Comrade Toyin Raheem, called the development a fundamental threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and democratic accountability.
Raheem urged Nigerians to rise against what he termed a “systemic manipulation of the national budget for private gain,” warning that the trend is wrecking the economy and entrenching bad governance.
He lamented that while budget padding has been a perennial issue, the silence and passivity of Nigerians have emboldened corrupt practices.
“It’s unfortunate that Nigerians have been very docile. That’s why we’ve ended up in this economic mess. Many of the legislators who condemned this practice before coming to office are now among its biggest perpetrators,” he said.