FG dismisses allegation of spending over N8trn outside 2025 budget
Abuja, July 2026 – The Federal Government has dismissed the allegation that it spent over ₦8 trillion outside the 2025 budget.
Taiwo Oyedele, the Minister of Finance, dismissed the allegation in a statement on Sunday.
He was reacting to media reports that the federal government spent over 2% of its GDP, estimated at over ₦8 trillion, outside the approved budget in 2025.
The media reports were based on the IMF’s 2026 Article IV Consultation on Nigeria and comments by its representative in Nigeria.
The minister said the allegation was a misrepresentation of the report of the IMF, explaining that all public expenditures of the federal government were made within the constitutional and legal framework.
“These claims are incorrect and risk misleading the public regarding the government’s financial management,” the minister said.
The statement explained that under Sections 80 to 83 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution, all public funds can only be withdrawn and spent in accordance with the Constitution and laws passed by the National Assembly.
He said that all public expenditures of the federal government were made within the constitutional and legal framework.
The minsister said Nigeria’s public finance framework contained several statutory transfers, first-line charges and intervention mechanisms established by Acts of the National Assembly.
“These include, among others: Statutory allocations and contributions to development commissions and other agencies created by law,” the minister said.
“Cost of collection and cost of administration retained by designated revenue-collecting agencies as expressly provided under relevant legislation.
“Capital expenditure approved in separate budgets for some agencies and the Federal Capital Territory by the National Assembly, he said..
He also said government expenditure was being undertaken through duly enacted Appropriation Acts, Supplementary Appropriation Acts and other statutory authorisations.
The minister said the multi-year capital projects are implemented under existing laws and approved capital rollovers where applicable, stressing that such projects should not be interpreted as spending outside the budget.
He said all allegations of secret spending lacked evidence, adding that such claims should identify specific projects allegedly executed without appropriation or legal authority.
“It is inaccurate to suggest that trillions of naira have been secretly spent outside legislative approval.
“Such allegations should have identified the specific projects purportedly executed without appropriation or legal authority and present credible evidence in support of the claim.
“To be meaningful, assertions of this magnitude must be supported by verifiable facts rather than conjecture,” the minister said.
