The federal government has allocated N2.3 trillion for the dissolved ministries of Niger Delta and Sports Development in its 2025 budget proposal, as revealed by Daily Trust.
Though it couldn’t be determine whether this allocation was a mistake, experts noted a lack of meticulousness in the preparation of the budget documents. Even if the funds were intended for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development and the National Sports Commission (NSC), the omission raises questions.
The Niger Delta and sports ministries were abolished in October, following an announcement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The National Sports Commission has since taken over the responsibilities of the former Ministry of Sports Development.
Last week, President Tinubu presented a N49.7 trillion Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly.
Further investigations by ZN revealed that the budget proposals overlooked the new Ministry of Regional Development entirely. The reinstated National Sports Commission (NSC) was also not designated any funding.
Within the budget for the defunct Ministry of Sports Development, an allocation of N95 billion was delineated—N0.9 billion for personnel, N14 billion for overhead costs, and N79.7 billion earmarked for capital expenditure.
The Ministry of Regional Development is tasked with overseeing various regional development bodies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the North East Development Commission (NEDC), the North West Development Commission (NWDC), the South West Development Commission (SWDC), and the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
Nonetheless, the details of the 2025 Appropriation Bill released by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning indicate that N2.23 trillion was allocated to the disbanded Niger Delta Ministry. A breakdown shows that N2.205 trillion is designated for personnel costs, with an additional N1.7 billion for overhead and N24.5 billion for capital expenditure.
Interestingly, apart from the allocation for the scrapped Niger Delta ministry, each of the five regional development commissions has received separate funding.
Regional Commissions to Receive N2.49 Trillion
The Appropriation Bill details allocations totaling N2.49 trillion for the existing NDDC and NEDC, as well as for the newly established NWDC, SWDC, and SEDC.
Specifically, N776.53 billion has been proposed for the NDDC; NWDC is allocated N585.93 billion; SWDC receives N498.40 billion; SEDC is set to get N341.27 billion; and NEDC has N290.99 billion earmarked.
N180 Million for Wildlife Conservation at the Presidential Villa
In another note, the State House has been allocated N179.6 million for wildlife conservation in the 2025 budget proposals.
ZN reports that the Presidential Wildlife Sanctuary (PWLS), previously known as the State House Zoo, was approved for upgrades during the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the budget details, N124,612,890 is earmarked for wildlife conservation, while N54,951,622 is allocated for the conversion and upgrade of Villa Ranch and the construction of a Wildlife Conservation Capture facility.
Additionally, the maintenance of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, is projected to cost N5,492,349,184, with N3,661,566,123 allocated for the procurement of operational vehicles.
