184 million per street light project and other shocking figures in 2024 budget

National Assembly members inserted thousands of projects in the president's initial budget proposal.

Over the past week, Nigeria's 2024 budget has come under scrutiny after Senator Abdul Ningi alleged some shady dealings in its preparation and passage.

The Senate ultimately suspended the lawmaker for his troubles, but the extra attention has uncovered some eyebrow-raising activities in the ₦28.7 trillion budget President Bola Tinubu signed in January 2024.

In its examination of the budget, BudgIT, an organisation that facilitates budget reforms, found that National Assembly members inserted thousands of constituency-like projects in the initial budget proposal of ₦27.5 trillion the president submitted in November 2023.

This went beyond the scope of the allocated ₦100 billion they're allowed to use to execute constituency projects.

Senators have maintained they have a constitutional duty to contribute to the budget [Tope Brown]

BudgIT found that the extra projects were inserted in the budgets of 326 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that, in most cases, neither have the mandate nor technical capacity to implement and monitor the execution of the projects.

"1,777 projects worth ₦218.6 billion are to be directly delivered in federal constituencies while 1,308 projects with a value of ₦176 billion are directly in senatorial districts," the organisation noted.

Other shocking figures senators inserted in Nigeria's 2024 budget

Some of the most eyebrow-raising insertions include:

1. 1,150 street lights for ₦212 billion

This amounts to ₦184 million per street light installation project.

2. 427 boreholes for ₦82.5 billion

This amounts to ₦193 million per borehole installation project.

3. 170 ICT projects for ₦30.95 billion

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This amounts to ₦182 million per ICT project.

4. Construction/renovation of 58 community town halls for ₦11.32 billion

This amounts to ₦195 million per project.

Other insertions made by National Assembly members

ProjectAmountEmpowerment of traditional rulers₦7.62 billionEducation related projects, including construction of classroom blocks, provision of exercise books, training of teachers, etc.₦186.78 billionHealth related projects₦89.63 billionRoad construction/rehabilitation₦460.16 billionPurchase of security vehicles₦2.04 billion