The Federal Government has allocated ₦962.83 billion for empowerment projects and the purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in the 2026 budget, according to an analysis by civic technology organisation, Tracka.
Tracka said the amount includes ₦15.13 billion for the purchase of 39 SUVs and ₦947.7 billion for 2,579 empowerment projects.
The organisation noted that the allocation is higher than the combined ₦960.27 billion budget of seven federal ministries, including Industry, Housing, Women Affairs, Justice, Livestock Development, Aviation, and Petroleum Resources.
Tracka also raised concerns over transparency, revealing that only 70 out of 2,579 empowerment projects have clearly identified locations.
It questioned how citizens and oversight agencies would monitor projects without knowing where they would be executed or who would benefit.
According to the group, the projects are spread across 184 government agencies, including institutions that do not normally handle empowerment programmes.
Its review showed that the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, received 393 projects worth ₦127.1 billion, while the National Agricultural Development Fund got six projects valued at ₦89.5 billion.
The budget also includes ₦89.09 billion for the Renewed Hope Fertiliser Support Programme, as well as several ₦14 billion allocations for youth empowerment, medical outreach, and the procurement of empowerment equipment.
Other provisions cover the purchase of buses, tricycles, motorcycles, electric vehicles, sewing machines, fertilisers, vocational tools, grants and other empowerment items.
Tracka said empowerment programmes can improve livelihoods when properly designed but warned that poorly defined projects often become tools for political patronage instead of delivering real benefits.
The organisation added that the concerns are more serious because the 2026 budget will rely heavily on borrowing, with a projected fiscal deficit of about 46 percent.
It urged the government to improve transparency by clearly identifying project locations, implementing agencies, beneficiaries and expected outcomes.
The development comes as the Federal Government increased its 2026 borrowing plan to ₦29.2 trillion, up from the earlier projection of ₦17.89 trillion, following an expansion of the national budget.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also questioned the government’s continued borrowing despite what he described as a ₦7.98 trillion oil revenue windfall, demanding full disclosure of how the revenue was spent.
Former APC spokesman Timi Frank similarly called for greater transparency, accountability and stronger oversight of the 2026 budget, urging the National Assembly to thoroughly scrutinise government spending.
Economists also expressed concern over the allocations. Professor Sheriffdeen Tella urged the government to channel empowerment funds toward locally made products to support jobs and domestic industries instead of imports.
Lagos-based economist Adewale Abimbola said the spending pattern reflects poor fiscal priorities, warning that excessive borrowing alongside large empowerment allocations could weaken confidence in Nigeria’s public finances.
