ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government and State governments to shift public spending away from prestige projects and excessive government expenses towards critical sectors such as education, healthcare, water supply and social protection. The organisation made the call on Sunday in reaction to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's recent appeal to State Governors to stop constructing unnecessary flyovers in areas without traffic congestion and focus on projects that directly improve citizens' lives.
President's Comments Present Opportunity for National Conversation
In a statement signed by its Country Director, Dr. Andrew Mamedu, ActionAid said the President's comments provide an opportunity for a wider national conversation on how governments at all levels allocate public resources. According to the organisation, the issue extends beyond flyovers to a broader pattern of public expenditure that often prioritises prestige over the welfare of citizens.
ActionAid stressed that with millions of Nigerians facing economic hardship, every naira of public funds should deliver measurable value to the people. The organisation therefore called on governments to review expenditures with limited public benefit, including unnecessary prestige projects, luxury acquisitions, oversized government delegations, excessive official travel and discretionary spending lacking transparency and accountability.
Budget Figures Highlight Disparity
Citing figures released by the Budget Office of the Federation, ActionAid noted that President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are allocated a combined ₦9.36 billion in the proposed 2026 budget for local and foreign travel, food and refreshments. It added that this figure does not include the costs of accompanying officials and other operational support, which are often budgeted separately.
ActionAid argued that cutting the allocation by 50 per cent would free about ₦4.68 billion, which could be invested in essential public services. According to the organisation, the savings could fund about 62 three-classroom school blocks, 208 solar-powered boreholes and five fully equipped primary healthcare centres across the country.
Changing National Priorities
Mamedu said Nigeria's development challenges are not solely about limited resources but about making deliberate choices that prioritise citizens' welfare. “This is not merely a question of reducing expenditure; it is about changing national priorities. Every unnecessary luxury purchase represents classrooms that were never built. Every unjustifiable trip represents medicines that never reached a primary healthcare centre,” he said.
He added that public budgets should reflect the interests of ordinary Nigerians rather than political visibility, stressing that every prestige project that fails to meet citizens' needs represents a missed opportunity to reduce poverty and inequality.
Call for Increased Investment and Reduced Cost of Governance
ActionAid called on governments to increase investments in quality education, primary healthcare, water and sanitation, food security, climate resilience and social protection. The organisation also urged authorities to reduce the cost of governance by cutting unnecessary official travel, luxury purchases and oversized government delegations, while strengthening transparency and accountability in discretionary public spending, including security-related expenditure.
It further advocated for infrastructure projects to be selected based on evidence, community needs and measurable development outcomes rather than political considerations, and called for greater citizen participation in budget planning, implementation and monitoring. ActionAid maintained that the true measure of governance should be reflected in improved access to quality education, healthcare, safe water, decent livelihoods and opportunities that enhance the well-being of Nigerians.
