- About 78 federal MDAs earmarked nearly N400bn in the 2026 budget for community halls, palaces, mosques and market squares
- Items unrelated to MDAs’ core mandates were found in several agency budgets, including palace construction and support for local musicians
- Analysts and economists are raising alarm over what they describe as budget padding and poor oversight by the National Assembly
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja – About 78 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government set aside nearly N400bn in the 2026 national budget for projects including the construction of community halls, mosques, traditional rulers’ palaces, village market squares and civic centres, new findings show.
More than half of that sum was directed at items analysts describe as non-developmental, covering the supply of grains, motorcycles and tricycles, sponsorship of community thrift societies, and the construction of museums and mini-stadia.
Projects outside MDAs’ core mandates
As reported by The Punch, among the agencies whose budgets raised concern is the National Building and Road Research Institute, Lagos.
The agency had items such as the construction of village halls in Akukwa, Anambra State, an international market in Birniwa, Jigawa State, and the refurbishment of traditional rulers’ palaces in Rivers and Kogi states inserted into its allocation.
The remodelling of five mosques across Kebbi, Ekiti and Jigawa states also featured. Those items alone cost over N4bn.
The National Productivity Centre’s budget includes support for Ijaw musicians, construction of an Emir’s palace in Yobe State, an abattoir in Gombe State, and the construction and refurbishment of Obas’ palaces in Ogun State.
The National Mathematical Centre, Nigeria’s apex body for mathematical research, was also allocated funds for the construction of a Sociology Department building at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a project critics say has no bearing on the agency’s mandate.
Experts blame National Assembly for budget padding
Consultant economist and former central banker Chukwunonso Ihuma squarely blamed the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“All these are down to poor oversight by the National Assembly. In most cases, they are even the ones inserting, smuggling and padding these budgets.”
Ihuma called for a return to zero-based budgeting, where every expenditure line must be justified from scratch, and argued that the Director-General of the Budget Office should have the authority to remove irrelevant items.
“Markets are naturally meant to be handled by subnationals such as states and local governments, and traditional rulers should fix their palaces.”
Dr Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, warned that poor budgeting damages stakeholder confidence and that several items in federal allocations are legally the responsibility of state and local governments.
“We did not have realistic projections in the budget, so the disparity is getting too big.”
Media strategist Umar Sani, a former adviser to Vice President Umar Sambo, noted that even when such projects are included, the executive does not always implement them.
“So many things were brought to Buhari and Jonathan, but they did not sign them.”
Churches, mosques allocated ₦8.05bn in 2026 budget
Recall that Atiku Abubakar challenged Tinubu administration over ₦8.05 billion set aside for religious projects in the 2026 budget.
A breakdown by accountability group Tracka showed ₦1.91bn went to church projects and ₦6.14bn to mosque-related projects.
Atiku’s spokesman demanded the government name every beneficiary institution and project location or face accusations of using religion to hide misuse of funds.
Tinubu allocates ₦22.15bn for palace project
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Atiku said the ₦22.15bn allocation for 106 palace projects in the 2026 budget violates the Nigerian Constitution.
Atiku’s spokesperson said the Federal Government has refused to name the traditional rulers or disclose where the 106 palaces are located.
Atiku called on the Presidency and the Budget Office to publish full details of the palace projects and the legal basis for the spending.
Source: Legit.ng