ABUJA — Civic-tech organization BudgIT has raised concerns over alleged omissions, irregularities, and a lack of transparency in the 2025 federal budget, urging the National Assembly to prioritize national interest during its review.
In a statement signed by its communications associate, Nancy Odimegwu, BudgIT highlighted missing budgetary provisions for key ministries, departments, agencies, and parastatals, including the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
“We have observed that the 2025 FG proposed budget submitted to the National Assembly for review and approval and published on the Budget Office website omits funding for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road as well as the budget breakdown of some MDAs, commissions, and councils, such as the National Judicial Council [N341.63 billion] and TETFUND [N940.5 billion],” the statement said.
BudgIT also noted that budgets for over 60 government-owned enterprises, including the Nigeria Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), were excluded.
The organization criticized the government’s fiscal planning, pointing out a pattern of missed macroeconomic assumptions in previous budgets.
“Such discrepancies pose serious fiscal risks, leading to severe budget financing challenges,” the statement read.
Additionally, BudgIT expressed disapproval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reviewed retirement benefits for retired military chiefs, which include bulletproof SUVs, fully paid foreign medical treatments, $20,000 as estacode for medical trips, and domestic help payments.
“These provisions contradict the president’s commitment to reducing the cost of governance,” BudgIT said. “Such allowances inflate the budget, widen the fiscal deficit, and may demoralize lower-ranking military personnel, who lack adequate health insurance and retirement benefits despite their higher exposure to combat risks.”
The organization called on lawmakers to scrutinize the budget with diligence and prioritize transparency and accountability.
“As the National Assembly reviews the 2025 Proposed Budget, we appeal to the 360 Honourable Members of the House of Representatives and 109 Distinguished Senators of the Nigerian Senate to prioritize national interest over personal or parochial considerations,” Odimegwu added.
