National Assembly’s N172 billion budget allocation surpasses key ministries’ disbursements

The National Assembly received N172 billion of its budgetary allocation in the first half of 2024, a figure significantly higher than the combined amounts disbursed to the ministries of power works and housing, land housing and urban development, transportation, communication technology, and water resources, an analysis by FIJ reveal.

A review of budget performance for government ministries, agencies, and departments up until June 2024, as published on the National Open Treasury Portal, shows that the National Assembly, with an N172 billion disbursement and a 50 per cent budget performance, received more funds than several key ministries.

The ministries of power, works, and housing received only 2.08% of their 2024 budgetary allocation, amounting to N46.9 billion. Key agencies within these ministries faced significant shortfalls: the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) received about N9 billion (3.89 percent of its budget), the Transmission Company of Nigeria received about N1 billion (less than a percentage), and the National Rural Electrification Agency got about N20 billion (just 5.25% of its allocation).

Read Also:

Heatwaves in Europe, Central Asia claim over 300 children’s lives — UNICEF

Global Hunger crisis worsens, 733 million affected — UN

Similarly, the Ministry of Transportation received only N21 billion, about 3.47% of its 2024 budgetary allocations. Agencies like the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the National Port Authority, and the National Railway Corporation had to share this limited amount.

The Ministry of Water Resources was disbursed 2.42% of its 2024 budget allocation, totaling about N28 billion. Agencies under this ministry recorded low budget performance rates; for example, the National Hydrological Services Agency received only 12.75% of its total budgetary allocation for 2024, amounting to about N329,000.

Bosun Tijani’s Ministry of Communication Technology was paid 6.47% of its allocated amount in the 2024 fiscal year, which is about N12.4 billion for all the agencies and departments under this ministry.

The Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development recorded a budget performance rate of 2.21%, with a payment of only N3.7 billion between January and June.

While the Ministry of Education received a higher amount than the National Assembly, it recorded a 29.52% budget performance rate in the 2024 fiscal year. This means it had to distribute about N600 million among relevant agencies such as the National University Commission, Universal Basic Education Commission, federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges.

The Ministry of Health had a 14.83% half-year budget performance rate, with federal medical hospitals, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the National Centre for Disease Control, and teaching hospitals receiving N300 billion out of their 2024 budget allocations.

In contrast, Nigeria saw a relatively better budget performance in defense and public safety. The Ministry of Defence recorded a 42.50% budget performance in the first half of the 2024 fiscal year, while the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs had a 42.71% performance rate.

However, some Federal Government-dependent departments did not receive any payment in the 2024 fiscal year. These include the Nigerian Foreign Missions, the National Theatre, the National Gallery, and the National Pension Commission.

In December, FIJ reported that the National Assembly inflated its budget by 75%, allocating N4 billion for a recreational center, N6 billion for car parks, and N2.7 billion for furnishing committee meeting rooms, among other expenses.