A powerful coalition of civil society organisations has issued a stern demand to the National Assembly, urging the legislative body to immediately stop the executive arm of government from making any expenditures that have not been formally approved. The groups accuse the Federal Government of engaging in what they term "fiscal rascality" and highlight a series of actions they believe violate Nigeria's constitution.
Coalition Condemns Opaque Budget Repeal and Re-enactment
The Nigerian Civil Society Economy Action (NCSEA), an umbrella body, coordinated the statement. Member organisations include prominent names like the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), PRIMEORG, Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), and BudgIT. Their primary grievance centres on the recent repeal and re-enactment of the 2024 and 2025 appropriation acts by the National Assembly.
The coalition argues this move is a fundamental breach of due process. They point to a severe lack of transparency and public involvement, noting that the bill for these acts is not available on any official electronic portal for citizens to scrutinise. "There was no opportunity for popular participation in the consideration and re-enactment of the act," the group stated, criticising the entire process as shrouded in secrecy.
Specific Breaches of Fiscal Law Cited
The statement provides a detailed legal critique, grounding its arguments in specific sections of the Nigerian Constitution and the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). The groups emphasised that Section 81 of the Constitution clearly mandates that the President must submit expenditure proposals to the NASS and obtain approval before any public spending occurs.
"Essentially, expenditure must be based on prior legislative approval and not legislative endorsement of already incurred expenditure," the coalition stressed. They highlighted the irregular timeline of the 2024 budget, which should have ended on December 31, 2024. Instead, its lifespan was extended first to June 2025, then to December 2025. Following this extended period, the President sought to repeal and re-enact the Act, resulting in a budget increase from N35.05 trillion to N43.56 trillion.
The CSOs firmly rejected the National Assembly's justification that the repeal was meant to align Nigeria with global best practices and resolve issues with running multiple budgets. "This position of NASS cannot be supported by Nigerian fiscal laws and policies or any international best practice. Rather, it is a mismanagement and gross abuse of due process," the statement declared.
Calls for Transparency and Accountability
Beyond the repealed acts, the coalition also raised an alarm over the handling of the newly presented 2026 budget. They noted that 18 days after the budget presentation, neither the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) nor the NASS had uploaded the document to their official websites, further exacerbating concerns about opacity.
The collective action by these CSOs underscores a growing demand for fiscal discipline and legislative oversight. They are calling on the National Assembly to assert its constitutional role as a check on the executive, ensuring all government spending undergoes proper, transparent, and participatory appropriation processes to safeguard public resources.
