A shocking revelation by BudgIT Foundation has exposed a massive budget inflation in Nigeria’s 2024 Fiscal Appropriation Act, where the National Assembly approved N40.88 billion for the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology in Lagos, despite the institution requesting only N667 million. This staggering increase represents a more than 5000% markup from the original proposal.
The civic tech organization, known for its work in promoting transparency and accountability in public finance, revealed that lawmakers padded the institution’s budget with an additional N40.22 billion through the insertion of twelve projects, many of which appear unrelated to the college’s core educational mission.
These inserted projects span across multiple states and sectors, ranging from the provision of tricycles in Akwa Ibom State communities to the construction of various security force buildings in Ogun State. The additions include substantial allocations for youth training programs, security vehicles, and healthcare initiatives across different regions of the country.
Among the most notable insertions is a N1 billion allocation for training unemployed youths in selected communities in the South West, alongside several construction projects including immigration, police, and air force office buildings in Ogun State, each allocated N500 million. The padded budget also includes provisions for security vehicles across multiple local government areas and medical outreach programs.
The revelation raises serious questions about the budget approval process and the National Assembly’s role in fiscal responsibility. BudgIT’s public statement on social media expressed concern about the future, stating, “We hope it will not be business as usual in the review of the 2025 proposed budget.
This budget padding scandal exemplifies broader concerns about transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public finance management. The dramatic increase in the college’s budget, particularly through the addition of projects seemingly unrelated to its educational mandate, highlights potential systemic issues in the country’s budgeting process.
The inserted projects appear to reflect a pattern of constituency project additions, with allocations spread across different geographical regions and sectors. These include educational infrastructure developments, such as the construction of classrooms at St. Peters College and the provision of additional facilities for the Femi Gbajabiamila Hall of Residence at the University of Lagos.
Healthcare-related insertions include a N200 million allocation for purchasing medicines for rural health centers in specific communities, while security-focused additions comprise multiple vehicle procurement projects across different states. The geographic spread of these projects suggests a deliberate attempt to distribute resources across various constituencies.
This revelation comes at a time when Nigeria faces significant economic challenges and calls for more efficient use of public resources. The massive inflation of a single institution’s budget raises concerns about similar practices potentially occurring across other government agencies and departments.
BudgIT’s exposure of this budget padding incident underscores the crucial role of civil society organizations in monitoring and scrutinizing government spending. Their work in highlighting such discrepancies serves as a vital check on public financial management and helps ensure accountability in government operations.
The stark contrast between the proposed and approved budgets for the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology serves as a clear example of the need for greater transparency and oversight in Nigeria’s budgeting process. As the country moves forward, this incident may prompt calls for reform in how budgets are reviewed and approved at the national level.
This development is likely to spark further debate about the need for stricter controls and more transparent processes in budget appropriation, particularly as Nigeria prepares for future fiscal planning exercises. The public response to this revelation may influence how similar budget proposals are handled in the future.
