A civic-tech organisation advocating for transparency and accountability in Nigeria, BudgIT, has highlighted several critical omissions and irregularities in the proposed 2025 Federal Government budget.
In a statement released on Thursday, signed by Communications Associate, Nancy Odimegwu, the organisation pointed out the absence of budget breakdowns for key agencies such as the National Judicial Council and TETFUND.
Additionally, BudgIT noted that the budgets for a number of government-owned enterprises, including the Nigeria Ports Authority and the Nigerian Customs Service, were missing from the proposed budget.
The organisation also raised concerns over the allocation of N2.49trn to regional development commissions under personnel costs, arguing that this approach obscures the true nature of their operational expenses and undermines transparency and accountability.
One of the more concerning omissions highlighted was the exclusion of funding for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, a major infrastructure project.
BudgIT warned that if funding for this project is eventually allocated, it could result in the reallocation of resources from other essential projects, potentially affecting the credibility of the budget.
“Also, we have observed that the 2025 proposed budget breakdown submitted to the National Assembly for review and approval and published on the Budget Office website omits the breakdown of some MDAs, commissions, and councils, such as the National Judicial Council (N341.63bn), and TETFUND (N940.5bn),” it said.
The organisation also expressed concern over recent remarks by President Bola Tinubu regarding military welfare packages, including provisions for bulletproof SUVs and paid foreign medical treatment for military generals.
BudgIT argued that these provisions contradicted the president’s previous pledge to reduce the cost of governance and could further strain the federal budget.
“While the Constitution grants the National Assembly the authority to appropriate funds, it often modifies the Executive’s proposed budget to distort its original intent and disconnect it from the nation’s long-term development agenda.
“Many inserted projects usually lack proper conceptualisation, design, and cost estimation, undermining their effectiveness and feasibility. We believe that the legislature must exercise this power with the utmost responsibility.
“This responsibility, which cannot be overstated, entails ensuring resource efficiency, eliminating waste, and aligning budgetary decisions with the nation’s long-term economic development goals,” the organisation stated.
BudgIT urged the National Assembly to conduct a comprehensive and responsible review.
The organisation stressed the importance of public participation to ensure the final budget reflects the priorities of Nigerians, particularly in areas such as job creation, poverty reduction, and inclusive economic growth.
In analysing recent budget performance, BudgIT pointed out that the government has repeatedly struggled with inaccurate macroeconomic assumptions, which have led to fiscal risks, budget financing challenges, and growing public debt.
The organisation said in 2024 alone, over 7,400 capital projects totalling N2.24trn were inserted into the budget, raising further concerns about resource efficiency and alignment with Nigeria’s long-term development objectives.
BudgIT called on the National Assembly to exercise its budgetary powers responsibly, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and in line with national priorities.
“The organisation has observed certain legacy issues with the 2025 Federal Government Proposed Budget and calls on the National Assembly to proactively address the irregularities, exercise its “Powers of the Purse” responsibly, allow robust public participation in the budget review process, and ensure that the approved budget reflects the needs and preferences of Nigerians through job creation, poverty reduction, and inclusive broad-based economic growth,” it advised.
2025 budget defence: Edun, Bagudu, others under fire in Senate
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, his Budget and Economic Planning counterpart, Atiku Bagudu, and the Director General of National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa – Onilu had a tough time in the Senate on Thursday while defending their respective 2025 budget proposals.
Also placed on a hot seat was the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria, Ali Mohammed.
While Edun and Bagudu were grilled by the Senate Committee on Appropriation, the heads of NOA and NAN had a tough afternoon with the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.
Edun’s trouble began when questions were asked by some members of the Appropriation Committee on the state of implementation of the 2024 budget, especially the capital component.
While struggling for answers, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), urged Edun to explain how proceeds from fuel subsidy removal were spent in the 2024 fiscal year.
Ningi asked, “What is the budget performance achieved so far for the 2024 fiscal year particularly in terms of the capital expenditure?
“We haven’t heard from the Minister how much has been saved from the removal of fuel subsidy and how much has been expended.
“We also haven’t heard from the Ministers about debt servicing. How much have we actually used to service our debt in 2004?
“How much are we expecting to service debts in 2005? Finally, will the Minister of Finance guarantee that the extension of the capital component of the 2024 budget to June 30, 2025, will give the desired results in terms of implementation that has a very low percentage now? ”
In what appeared his non-readiness for the questions, the Minister hurriedly requested the committee to accord him a closed-door session for a detailed response.
“Are we in a closed-door session? If we are not in a closed-door session, I will humbly seek for (sic) that for detailed explanations on the questions asked,” he said.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Solomon Olamilekan (APC Ogun West), thereafter asked accredited journalists covering the Senate to excuse them for the closed-door session.
Earlier at the budget defence session, the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation had with agencies under its purview, the Director General of NOA, Issa-Onilu, and his counterpart in NAN, Ali Mohammed, was ordered to re-draft and re-present their budgetary proposals for 2025 fiscal year.
The committee chaired by Senator Kenneth Eze (APC, Ebonyi Central), tackled the NOA DG on the National Identity Project being implemented by the Agency, describing it as unknown to Nigerians.
But the NOA DG, justified the significance of the project, saying, “The challenge we have about value system is about national identity which is very necessary at galvanising Nigerians for nation building, national development, and growth,” he said.
It was the same for the NAN boss, who was told to go and reconcile the figures presented in the 2024 budget implementation before seeking the nod of the National Assembly for appropriation in the 2025 budget.
