Approximately 78 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the Federal Government allocated nearly N400 billion in the 2026 budget for the building and renovation of community halls, mosques, traditional rulers’ palaces, village market squares, and civic centers, according to The PUNCH findings, ABNTV reports.
More than half of the N400bn was earmarked for non-developmental projects such as the supply of grains and motorcycles, sponsorship of community thrift societies, construction of museums and mini-stadia, as well as the supply of tricycles, popularly called ‘Keke Marwa’, to communities.
Some of the MDAs investigated are the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, the Nigerian Air Force, Air Power Centre of Excellence, Nigerian Defence Academy, Technical Aid Corps, Foreign Mission, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Federal College of Land Resources, Owerri, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, and the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
Others are the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, National Building and Road Research Institute, National Productivity Centre, Industrial Arbitration Panel, Industrial Training Fund, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, Zaria, Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, among many others.
Critics argue that many of the projects earmarked do not rank among the country’s most urgent priorities, given Nigeria’s fiscal realities.
Analysts argue that the allocation of hundreds of billions of naira to numerous small and often low-impact projects deprives millions of Nigerians of the benefits of strategic public investment.
They contend that funds tied up in fragmented projects could instead be channelled into critical sectors such as healthcare, education, security, roads, power and other essential infrastructure that have a broader and more lasting impact on economic growth and citizens’ well-being.
According to the analysts, the proliferation of these relatively insignificant projects not only weakens fiscal discipline but also limits the government’s ability to deliver quality public services.
They warn that the opportunity cost is enormous, as scarce public resources are diverted from transformational national priorities to projects that frequently lack transparency, adequate oversight, or measurable developmental impact.
Experts have also expressed concern that several budget items with little or no connection to the statutory responsibilities of certain MDAs were inserted into their allocations.
For instance, the National Building and Road Research Institute, Lagos, has bizarre projects inserted into its budget, including the construction of village halls in Akukwa, Anambra State; the building of an international market in Birniwa, Jigawa State; the construction of traditional rulers’ palaces at Sarkin Wuse, Osokodoko and Osana in Rivers State; as well as the construction and refurbishment of the palace of the Agbana of Isanlu in Kogi State.
Others are the provision of market stalls in Gubio, construction of a multipurpose hall in Sanga, Kaduna State, as well as the remodelling of five mosques at Izalla (Kebbi), Zawiya Centre (Kebbi), Ikole (Ekiti), and Mangadu and Samani (Jigawa). These items cost over N4bn in the 2026 budget, yet have nothing in return for the Federal Government, analysts warn.
Similarly, the National Productivity Centre’s budget contains unusual items such as support for Ijaw musicians, construction of an Emir’s palace in Nguru/Yusufari/Machina/Karasuwa in Yobe State, construction of an econometrics laboratory in Ekiti State, construction and refurbishment of Obas’ palaces at Ado Odo, Yewa and Ajilefe in Ogun State, as well as the construction of an abattoir in Akko, Gombe State.
The National Mathematical Centre, Nigeria’s apex institution for mathematical research and training, will finance the construction of a Sociology Department building at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, which many say falls outside the agency’s core mandate.
