Local Governments Receive Billions in Funding to Improve Roads and Public Safety
State governments have received a massive financial boost to help them build better roads and protect their communities. Public financial records show that 29 states recorded at least 435 billion naira from a special national funding program during a recent six-month period.
This money is distributed alongside regular monthly funds but is specifically set aside for public works and security. No money was shared under this specific program during the same period of the previous year. The funding comes at a critical time as local communities face rising security threats and crumbling roads.
Why the Funding is Needed
Local leaders are under intense pressure to protect their citizens and fix failing infrastructure. Public safety has become a major concern. Over a recent two-year span, more than 600 students and teachers were taken in multiple mass school abductions. This happened despite a national school safety program worth 145 billion naira.
While the national government has expanded the army and approved the recruitment of 28,000 new soldiers, local states still need to spend heavily on their own security. To help ease this burden, a special infrastructure support fund was created for all 36 states after the national government ended fuel subsidies. This fund helps states invest in key areas, including:
- Road construction and repairs
- Agriculture and food production
- Healthcare and school upgrades
- Electricity and clean water systems
How the Money Was Distributed
Financial records from 32 states show how the 435.25 billion naira was split. Out of these states, 16 clearly listed a combined 265.50 billion naira specifically for infrastructure and security. Another 13 states recorded a total of 169.75 billion naira under other general funding categories.
Here is how much the first group of 16 states received from the dedicated fund during the six-month period:
- Enugu: 27.02 billion naira
- Gombe: 24.50 billion naira
- Jigawa, Katsina, and Ogun: 19.50 billion naira each
- Cross River and Yobe: 17.50 billion naira each
- Borno: 16.41 billion naira
- Bauchi: 14.58 billion naira
- Ebonyi, Imo, Kano, Kwara, and Taraba: 14 billion naira each
- Sokoto: 12.50 billion naira
- Kogi: 7 billion naira
For the 13 states that grouped the money under other general categories, the payments were:
- Ondo: 31.86 billion naira
- Lagos: 30.30 billion naira
- Abia: 24.50 billion naira
- Nasarawa: 21.24 billion naira
- Niger: 15.50 billion naira
- Benue and Plateau: 14 billion naira each
- Delta: 5.50 billion naira
- Ekiti: 5.38 billion naira
- Kaduna: 3.83 billion naira
- Kebbi: 1.95 billion naira
- Zamfara: 1.71 billion naira
A few states did not receive any money from this fund during the six-month period. Adamawa, Anambra, and Oyo recorded zero receipts, even though they had planned for this income in their budgets. One state, Akwa Ibom, did not disclose its figures, while four other states—Bayelsa, Edo, Osun, and Rivers—were left out of the analysis due to missing reports.
Comparing Budgets to Actual Funding
Some states received far more than they originally planned, while others faced major shortfalls compared to their full-year budgets:
[*] Gombe received 24.50 billion naira, which is 490 percent of its planned annual budget of 5 billion naira.
[*] Bauchi received 14.58 billion naira, reaching 86.6 percent of its annual target.
[*] Jigawa received 65 percent of its planned annual budget.
Yobe received 17.5