SGF Allocates ₦14.37 Billion for Unrelated Projects in 2026 Budget
The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has earmarked over ₦14.37 billion in the 2026 Appropriations Act for a variety of initiatives, including road construction, market development, health centers, and educational infrastructure. Despite its primary role in coordinating and monitoring government policies, the SGF’s budget encompasses a range of projects that do not align with its core mission.
Analysis by THE WHISTLER reveals that the SGF Headquarters budget includes a substantial investment of at least ₦14,376,837,109 for constituency-style projects. These initiatives appear disconnected from the agency’s essential functions, which involve advising the President, promoting policy development, and overseeing other governmental bodies.
Among the various allocations, notable spending includes ₦2 billion earmarked for constructing classrooms and laboratories at the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology in Katsina State. An additional ₦1 billion will support the establishment of an agricultural machinery shed at the same institution.
The budget also includes ₦500 million to distribute rice and food items to low-income households in the Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency in Kano State. Similarly, ₦500 million is allocated for acquiring Keke Napep tricycles and Bajaj bikes aimed at empowering local youth, along with another ₦500 million set aside for cash grants to assist vulnerable women and young people.
Further allocations spotlight a range of initiatives, including ₦350 million allocated for landing jetties in Rivers State and investments of ₦200 million each for constructing a market and a healthcare center in different regions of Katsina State. Additional projects encompass building police stations, supplying school furniture, and providing agricultural support such as fertilizer distribution and agricultural equipment across multiple states.
The SGF’s budget also reflects investment in agricultural interventions, aimed at empowering women farmers in Zamfara State and conducting various training programs for local youths in Rivers State. This spending pattern echoes findings regarding other federal agencies that similarly allocate funds for projects beyond their statutory requirements.
Previous analyses have highlighted that the National Commission for the Education of Almajiri and Out-of-School Children diverted ₦8.4 billion of its budget towards road construction in states such as Ogun, Katsina, and Ekiti. Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Information and Public Orientation’s ₦9.49 billion allocation saw substantial resources directed towards non-educational projects, raising flags on adherence to statutory obligations across ministries.
In response to increasing scrutiny over non-mandatory expenditures, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Senator Abubakar Kyari has recently called on agencies under his ministry to strictly adhere to their designated mandates. His directive emphasizes the need for focused governance on areas such as food security, economic growth, and poverty alleviation, cautioning against the pursuit of unrelated projects.
The significant budget allocation for the SGF Headquarters is likely to intensify discussions surrounding the propriety of using federal agencies to implement constituency-style projects that may not align with their officially assigned functions.
