The Federal Government has dismissed claims that more than ₦8 trillion was spent outside the 2025 budget, insisting that all public expenditure was carried out in line with Nigeria’s constitutional and legal provisions.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Ministry of Finance and attributed to Taiwo Oyedele, following reports that cited the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) 2026 Article IV Consultation Report…..See More
Government says IMF report was misrepresented
According to the ministry, reports alleging that about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), estimated at over ₦8 trillion, was spent outside the approved budget misrepresented the IMF’s findings.
The government maintained that it does not operate a “shadow budget” or spend public funds without legislative approval.
It explained that Sections 80 to 83 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution require that public funds be withdrawn and spent only in accordance with the Constitution and laws passed by the National Assembly.
The ministry said government expenditure is implemented through duly enacted Appropriation Acts, Supplementary Appropriation Acts and other statutory authorisations.
Multi-year projects not outside the budget, FG says
The ministry stated that multi-year capital projects are executed under existing laws and approved capital rollovers where applicable.
It argued that such projects should not be interpreted as spending outside the budget.
“It is inaccurate to suggest that trillions of naira have been secretly spent outside legislative approval. Such allegations should have identified the specific projects purportedly executed without appropriation or legal authority and present credible evidence in support of the claim,” the statement said.
Ministry explains statutory spending
The government also said Nigeria’s public finance framework includes statutory transfers, first-line charges and intervention mechanisms created by Acts of the National Assembly.
According to the ministry, these include:
Statutory allocations to development commissions and agencies.
Revenue collection costs retained by designated agencies.
Separate capital budgets for some agencies and the Federal Capital Territory.
Special interventions for national priorities, including security and infrastructure.
Debt servicing obligations.
It said these expenditures are lawful, publicly disclosed and subject to oversight, auditing and accountability, although they may appear differently in fiscal reports because of international reporting standards.
FG rejects deficit claims
The ministry also rejected suggestions that the reported ₦8 trillion represented an increase in Nigeria’s fiscal deficit.
It explained that fiscal deficits are determined by the relationship between total government revenue and expenditure, not by the financing mechanism used for approved projects.
According to the statement, the IMF’s observations focused on the comprehensiveness, timing and presentation of fiscal reporting rather than the legality of government spending.
Tinubu administration reaffirms commitment to transparency
The ministry noted that President Bola Tinubu had previously asked the National Assembly to harmonise multiple and overlapping budgets into a single framework while presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill on December 19, 2025.
It added that the administration remains committed to prudent fiscal management, transparency and accountability through reforms in budget implementation, revenue administration, treasury management and the digitalisation of government financial processes.
The statement urged Nigerians to rely on verified facts and avoid misrepresenting technical observations as evidence of unlawful spending…..See More
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