“These insertions, shrouded in ambiguity and lacking in alignment with national development priorities, represent a blatant misuse of public funds,” said Iyanuoluwa Bolarinwa, Acting Head of Open Governance at BudgIT.
Civil society groups are demanding accountability after BudgIT revealed the National Assembly inserted 11,000 questionable projects worth N6.93 trillion into the 2025 budget. The civic tech organization described these as “opacity-enabled anomalies” in its analysis of the N54.9 trillion Appropriation Act, alleging they reflect fiscal recklessness and budget manipulation. “These insertions represent a blatant misuse of public funds,” said Iyanuoluwa Bolarinwa, BudgIT’s Acting Head of Open Governance.
The report exposed projects bypassing standard needs assessments, with many being poorly defined, duplicated, or entirely fictitious. Some lawmakers allocated billions to obscure agencies lacking implementation capacity, raising concerns about the insertions’ true purpose. “The allocations far exceed capital budgets for critical sectors like education and health,” Bolarinwa noted, adding that legislators often intimidated MDAs to include pet projects during budget defenses.
The revelations have triggered public outcry, with critics condemning the insertions as undermining national development priorities. BudgIT warned the practice perpetuates budget padding and diverts funds from essential services, calling for urgent reforms to ensure transparency in Nigeria’s budgeting process.