Bloated and Brazen: Here are the 2025 Budget’s Most Outrageous Insertions

BudgIT, a civic organisation known for promoting transparency and accountability in public budgets, says it has uncovered 11,122 project insertions worth ₦6.93 trillion by the National Assembly in the 2025 Federal Government (FG) budget.

In an analysis released on Tuesday, the group stated that these dubious insertions represent what began as isolated irregularities but have, over the years, evolved into a deeply entrenched culture of exploitation and abuse.

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BudgIT further alleged that the budget process has become a playground for self-serving political interests, spearheaded by top-ranking members of the National Assembly.

Inside the Bloated 2025 Budget

The BudgIT analysis reveals that 238 projects valued above ₦5 billion each, with a cumulative value of ₦2.29 trillion, were inserted with little to no justification. Additionally, 984 projects worth ₦1.71 trillion and 1,119 projects in the ₦500 million to ₦1 billion range—totalling ₦641.38 billion—were indiscriminately included, raising concerns about their relevance and alignment with national priorities.

“These insertions, far from promoting development, appear tailored to satisfy narrow political interests and personal gains rather than the citizens’ interests,” the group said.

A closer look shows that 3,573 projects worth ₦653.19 billion are assigned directly to federal constituencies, and 1,972 projects worth ₦444.04 billion to senatorial districts.

Categorically, some of the most glaring anomalies include: 1,477 streetlight projects worth ₦393.29 billion; 538 boreholes totalling ₦114.53 billion; 2,122 ICT projects valued at ₦505.79 billion; and ₦6.74 billion earmarked for the “empowerment of traditional rulers”.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass facilitated the passing of the bloated 2025 budget in their chambers

Shockingly, 39% of all insertions—4,371 projects worth ₦1.72 trillion—were forced into the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget, inflating its capital allocation from ₦242.5 billion to ₦1.95 trillion.

The Ministries of Science and Technology, and Budget and Economic Planning, also saw inflated allocations of ₦994.98 billion and ₦1.1 trillion respectively from insertions alone.

“Even more concerning is the targeted misuse of agencies like the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (Lagos) and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, as dumping grounds for politically motivated projects,” BudgIT said.

“These agencies lack the technical capacity to execute such projects, leading to rampant underperformance and waste.

“For example, the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River—a training institution—was saddled with: ₦3 billion for utility vehicles to support farmers and distribution agents; ₦1.5 billion for rural electrification in Rivers State; and ₦1 billion for solar streetlights in Enugu State.

“These are examples of agencies operating outside their mandates, managing projects unrelated to their statutory functions, and adding zero value to national development.”

Despite these findings, the Presidency, the Budget Office, and the National Assembly have remained conspicuously silent.

Commenting on the findings, Gabriel Okeowo, BudgIT’s Country Director, stressed the urgent need to restore integrity to Nigeria’s budgeting process.

He argued that unchecked project insertions by the National Assembly have derailed the purpose of national planning, weakened public trust, and diverted resources from critical development priorities.

“The insertion of over 11,000 projects worth ₦6.93 trillion into the 2025 budget by the National Assembly is not just alarming—it is an assault on fiscal responsibility. This trend, increasingly normalised, undermines the purpose of national budgeting,” Okeowo said.

Background

Recall that President Bola Tinubu presented an appropriation bill of ₦49.74 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year to the National Assembly on 18 December 2024. This represented an 80.96% increase compared to the proposed budget of ₦27.50 trillion for 2024.

The National Assembly reviewed and approved the budget, which was subsequently signed into law by the President on 28 February 2025.

President Bola Tinubu addressing the National Assembly in the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass a budget presentation

The President increased the budget from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion, which was then raised by the National Assembly to ₦54.99 trillion, indicating a cumulative increase of ₦5.29 trillion.

A closer look at the approved budget shows that the National Assembly increased the recurrent non-debt budget proposal (which includes staff costs, operational expenses, pensions, gratuities, and other social benefits) by ₦299.75 billion, adjusting it from the proposed ₦8.58 trillion to ₦8.81 trillion.

The recurrent debt budget (for debt servicing) was cut by ₦2 trillion, reducing it from the ₦16.32 trillion proposed by the Executive to ₦14.31 trillion.

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Meanwhile, the National Assembly raised the capital expenditure budget by ₦9.11 trillion, from the initial proposed ₦14.85 trillion to ₦23.96 trillion. This indicates that the Assembly introduced new projects or boosted funding for existing allocations by over ₦9 trillion.

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