A non-governmental advocacy group, the Centre for Social Justice, (CSJ), has identified 254 wasteful and inappropriate expenditures in the Federal Government’s proposed 2025 Budget, currently under review at the 10th National Assembly.

The budget, totaling ₦49.74 trillion, includes a projected ₦13.08 trillion deficit and ₦16.33 trillion for debt servicing. Critics argue that excessive spending on vehicles, office supplies, and unrelated projects undermines efforts to address Nigeria’s economic challenges, including high inflation and poverty.
CSJ estimates that eliminating these frivolous expenses could save the country up to ₦954 billion. Among the flagged allocations are ₦63.8 million for State House rent, ₦5.49 billion for maintaining the Presidential Villa, and ₦6.04 billion for electrical and environmental services within the Villa.
Other questionable expenditures include ₦230 million for clean water projects by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, ₦2 billion for rural solar street lights by the Ministry of Agriculture, and ₦1.8 billion for suspended social programs like N-Power. Additionally, over ₦4.4 trillion in Service-Wide Votes lacks clear specifications.
CSJ’s lead director, Eze Onyekpere, warns that borrowing to fund such wasteful expenses is irresponsible and calls for stricter budget scrutiny, in order to ensure resources are directed toward poverty reduction, infrastructure, and economic growth.