FG: Budgeting or barefaced robbery?
By Dele Sobowale
FG budgets N1tn for empowerment, SUVs amid rising borrowing pressure – Report, July 27, 2026
Veterans monitoring the formulation and execution of annual budgets can honestly admit one truth. Military regimes were more disciplined. Every annual budget ended on midnight December 31 of the year.
Funds not spent by that time were returned to the Treasury. There were no carry-overs. As you are reading this article in August 2026, some parts of the 2024 Budget are probably still being implemented; and the 2025 budget has not officially closed. That, in a nutshell summarises the sloppiness characterizing the Tinubu administration; which in turn is breeding the worst open corruption in Nigerian history. It is double tragedy; that we have experienced the most atrocious budget management under a leader claiming to be an accountant and financial expert. Even Buhari, with School Certificate attempted performed better – despite bequeathing an “economy on the brink of bankruptcy”. (Tinubu’s words). Today, we have moved closer to the brink; and the evidence is overwhelming. We start with the low hanging fruit.
“Linking Buhari’s govt to PFIPC, groundless, lacks factual basis – BMO.”
VANGUARD, July 27, 2026.
The story about the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, broke several weeks ago; and till today, nobody in Tinubu’s government has been able to explain how the fake agency was allocated N1.3 billion in the 2026. The latest attempt to lay the blame on late President Buhari is being stoutly resisted by the Buhari Media Organisation, BMO, as the VANGUARD report has indicated. Nigerians are still kept in a deliberate fog concerning the origin of an attempted scam. We are waiting.
“Islamic Board budgets N18bn for staff” – Daily Trust, July 27, 2026
The report elaborates. “The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) has planned to spend N18.049 billion on its staff.”. Several questions arise at once; but only two will be asked now. First, what is the staff strength to justify asking for N15bn for salaries and N2.6bn for allowances? Second, is the establishment of NBAIS constitutional – given that no other religion has a Board created for it? Obviously, this sort of bias, laden with opportunity for massive corruption, can only occur when one religion is elevated above others in a secular state – particularly under a Muslim-Muslim presidency. Discrimination, in any form, tends to nurture corruption in all ramifications.
“Almajiri Commission earmarks N8.4bn for road projects.” Daily Trust, July 6, 2026
“Almajiri Commission: Stop this budgeting absurdity.” PUNCH, JULY 13, 2026.
What PUNCH described as a budgeting absurdity would be better called a well-orchestrated and long standing embezzlement of national funds designed to favour Northern Muslims exclusively. The Almajiri Commission was preceded by the Nomadic Children’s scheme. To the best of my knowledge, no Adara, Agatu, Berom, Igala, Langtan, Nupe or Zango-Kataf child, among over 100 ethnic groups ever benefited from Almajiri education. Those are ethnic groups with majority being Christians. The beneficiaries of Almajiri education were Fulani and Hausa, with the former predominant. For them annually, a share of the budget is set aside for their exclusive use – despite the fact that Almajiri education produces graduates that are totally unfit for modern society and invariably are destined to swell the ranks of those living in perpetual poverty.
It was not totally surprising that, given its lack of any redeeming social purpose, the Almajiri Commission has degenerated into an agency now known to engage in awarding contracts outside its core mandates. Its 2026 budget is revealing and concerning.
For instance, the Commission totally abdicated its constitutional mandate and budgeted for four roads in Abeokuta/Mooro, worth N1.4bn; Dental and Medical facilities in Iyin, Ekiti, N700 million, where there are no almajiris. Another N700 million went to providing Solar Street Lights in Kankara LGA, Katsina State. Roads, ambulances and solar lights are not part of the mandates of any educational institution. Yet, the APC-led National Assembly, NASS, passed it; and President Tinubu signed it into law. There was reason for the official endorsement of budgetary insanity.
“Rot in constituency projects” – Weekend Trust, July 18, 2026
A NASS whose members were implicated in a budgetary process the paper proclaimed “amounts to daylight robbery.” Before coming to that conclusion, the paper had declared that “A few of the figures uncovered by Daily Trust are staggering. Sixteen federal agencies received more than N205.96bn for projects completely outside their statutory mandates.” Now, it is clear why the NASS could not query Almajiri Commission for acting outside its mandate. Only a NASS with honest lawmakers in charge can question malfeasance by others. A NASS neck-deep in corruption cannot; and will never sanction dishonesty exhibited by others.
Unfortunately, the rot does not end at the NASS.
The President signed the Appropriation Bill 2026 as presented by the legislators without raising an objection. This is not the first time the NASS would pad budgets presented by the Executive Branch. Jonathan was once confronted with excessive padding by the NASS. His blunt refusal to sign resulted in sharp reduction of what ex-President Obasanjo had called “daylight robbery” Tinubu signed without immediately.
Why?
“FG budgets N1tn for empowerment, SUVs amid rising borrowing pressure” – Report, July 27, 2026
The story reveals to what extent the FG now takes fellow Nigerians for granted. Former President Obasanjo has characterized current budget management as “barefaced robbery” – with the Executive and legislative branches competing for which branch of government can get away with illegalities. The report elaborated as follows. “The Federal Government has earmarked N962.83bn for the procurement of Sport Utility Vehicles and empowerment projects in the 2026 Appropriation Act, an amount that exceeds the combined allocations to seven key federal ministries, according to a review of the budget by civic technology organisation, Tracka.”
Tracka had a message for Nigerians; which should shock us despite our seeming immunity to shocks. “Yet, only 70 of the 2,579 empowerment projects have clearly identified implementation location”. In other words, only 2.7 per cent of the empowerment projects can be traced and verified; nearly 97 per cent exist in the weird imaginations of those who prepared the budget. Put in perspective, it means about 70 empowerment projects per state and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT; and three for each Local Government. Experts on empowerment programmes know very well that they require trainers to impart the skills for which trainees are registered. The obvious questions are: where are the trainers? And, how many of them are brave enough to go and work in Borno, Zamfara and Kaduna LGs? Tracka had more concerning information for Nigerians. “Beyond the absence of project locations, Tracka said the projects were spread across 184 implementing agencies, including several institutions whose mandates do not ordinarily cover empowerment programmes.” The current Tinubu-led administration is now implementing a budget replete with fake agency and fake empowerment programmes – all supported by monumental debt. Nigeria is racing towards bankruptcy.
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