JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
… BudgIT urges Nigerians to track every Naira sent to municipalities
– Only 17 of 191 water and sanitation projects funded in Cross River, Kano
Daud Olatunji
Local government councils received a staggering ₦3.04 trillion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee between January and June 2026, but an analysis by the BudgIT Foundation has raised new concerns over whether public funds are translating into tangible services and infrastructure at the grassroots level.
The civic-tech organization therefore urged Nigerians to go beyond simply knowing how much money their municipalities receive and start monitoring how funds are budgeted, released, spent and ultimately converted into projects and services.
The call came against the backdrop of a separate BudgIT analysis which revealed that ₦21 billion of the ₦26.16 billion earmarked for 191 water and sanitation projects in Cross River and Kano states in 2025 were not released.
According to the organization, only 17 of the 191 projects analyzed in its analysis received funding, leaving communities facing the prospect of seeing projects approved on paper but not implemented on the ground.
The disclosure was contained in BudgIT’s policy brief, “Tracking the Naira, Tracking the Taps,” which examined public funding for WASH interventions and the extent to which approved projects actually received funding.
BudgIT said the findings highlight the danger of treating budget documents as evidence that communities will ultimately receive the services in them.
“Communities cannot buy a budget document,” the organization said.
He emphasized that the real measure of government spending is not the size of an appropriation, but whether the money is released and translated into functioning infrastructure.
₦3.04tn available to municipalities
The allocation of ₦3.04 trillion for local governments in the first six months of 2026 makes significant public resources available to the level of government closest to ordinary Nigerians.
Under the Fourth Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution, local government councils have responsibilities in areas such as local roads, markets, waste disposal, public services and participation in the provision and maintenance of primary education and health services.
The size of the funds therefore makes monitoring the finances of local authorities particularly important, especially for residents who rely directly on the infrastructure and services provided by the Municipality.
BudgIT argues that citizens should ask themselves basic but critical questions about their municipalities’ finances.
“How much has been received? What has been budgeted? What has been spent? What projects have been executed and where are they located?” the organization asked.
He directed citizens to his platform me.budgit.org, where they can check monthly allocations to states and local governments, review projects listed for their communities and see the amounts budgeted for them.
₦21 billion disappears from WASH financing pipeline
The WASH analysis provides a striking example of why approved budgets alone may not tell the whole story of government spending.
BudgIT said ₦26.16 billion has been allocated for 191 WASH projects in Cross River and Kano states in 2025.
However, only ₦5.15 billion was released, leaving approximately ₦21 billion unreleased.
The situation was particularly serious in the two states.
In Cross River, only seven of 72 budgeted WASH projects received funding.
In Kano, only 10 out of 119 projects were funded.
According to the analysis, in total only 17 of the 191 projects received funding.
The organization said the data demonstrates a notable gap between government commitments contained in budget documents and what communities could actually receive.
“Communities cannot drink budget documents”
BudgIT said the failure to release approved funds was particularly concerning in the WASH sector because access to safe water and sanitation has direct implications for public health.
The organization cited an estimate that approximately 73% of the diarrheal and enteric disease burden in Nigeria is associated with unsafe access to sanitation.
He argued that communities should not be left with budget promises when the infrastructure needed to protect public health remains unfunded.
“Communities can’t buy a budget document,” BudgIT said, noting that budget approval is just one step on the path from public appropriation to public benefit.
He said citizens must follow the money through the entire chain: from allocation to release, implementation and eventual delivery.
From allocation to impact
For local governments, the ₦3.04 trillion received through the FAAC in six months raises questions about what residents can actually see on the ground.
The allocation itself is a fiscal fact; however, its impact depends on how the money is allocated, disbursed, spent and accounted for.
For ordinary residents, government is ultimately experienced through tangible services: usable roads, functioning markets, effective waste disposal, public services, primary healthcare, educational infrastructure, and other community facilities.
BudgIT said citizens therefore have a responsibility to monitor public spending and demand explanations when money is allocated but corresponding projects or services are not provided.
The organization’s campaign aims to make financial information accessible to citizens so they can follow government money beyond budget announcements.
It encouraged residents to use its online platform to review their state and local allotments and identify projects listed for their communities.
Budget approval is not the same as project delivery
The WASH findings highlight a broader question of accountability: When a project appears in a budget, does it mean the community will actually get it?
BudgIT’s analysis suggests that the answer depends on what happens after appropriation.
A project must move from budget approval to release of funds, from release to implementation, and from implementation to actual service delivery before residents can benefit from it.
For citizens, the organization said, responsibility should therefore not end with the publication of a budget.
Rather, residents should check whether the projects listed in official documents exist, whether work has begun, whether it has been completed, and whether the facilities serve the intended communities.
‘Want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need advertising for a product, service or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Please donate any amount HERE
