CSOs Decry Worsening Poverty Despite Over N100 Trillion Budgets in Two Years
A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) has expressed deep concern that despite federal budgets exceeding N100 trillion in the last two years, Nigerians are experiencing worsening poverty, failing public services, and deepening inequality. In a joint statement, the groups highlighted that this unprecedented scale of government spending, which surpasses the total budgets from 1999 to 2017, has not translated into tangible improvements in citizens' lives.
Coalition's Concerns and Demands
The organizations, including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Yiaga Africa, BudgIT Foundation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Amnesty International Nigeria (AIN), and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), among others, described the situation as a dangerous disconnect between public spending and real-life outcomes. They warned that "the country is on the brink of collapse" without urgent corrective measures.
According to the CSOs, while recent economic reforms such as subsidy removal and the floating of the naira have significantly boosted government revenues, ordinary Nigerians continue to grapple with rising costs of living and declining welfare. They identified insecurity, corruption, economic hardship, and shrinking civic space as major drivers of the crisis, noting that increased public revenues have not improved governance or service delivery.
The coalition also pointed to declining public trust in the judiciary due to perceived political interference and delayed justice. They called on government at all levels to urgently convert rising revenues into measurable improvements in social protection, job creation, healthcare, and food security. Additionally, they demanded greater transparency in public spending, swift prosecution of corruption cases, and reforms to strengthen electoral integrity and institutional independence.
Peter Obi's Critique of Power Sector Debt
Similarly, former presidential candidate Peter Obi questioned the Federal Government's latest approval of N3.3 trillion to settle debts in Nigeria's power sector. In a statement via his X handle, Obi warned that repeated financial interventions without visible improvement in electricity supply raise serious concerns about accountability and efficiency.
Obi noted that this approval is not an isolated case but part of a series of similar financial commitments made in recent years, all targeted at resolving the same lingering liabilities. He recalled that in May 2024, N3.3 trillion was approved to address power sector debts, followed by another N4 trillion bond in July of the same year for similar obligations. Despite these interventions, electricity supply across the country remains largely unstable, raising questions about the effectiveness of such spending.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that "the issue goes beyond funding," pointing instead to deeper structural and governance challenges within the power sector. He argued that if repeated bailouts fail to translate into improved service delivery, then the problem lies in how the system is managed rather than in the availability of funds.
Obi further expressed concern over the lack of transparency surrounding the debts, asking critical questions about how they were accumulated, who the major beneficiaries are, and why previous approvals have not produced tangible results. He maintained that Nigerians deserve clear answers, especially given the scale of public resources being deployed.
He also highlighted the role of government institutions in the debt crisis, noting that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were among the significant debtors in the power value chain. Obi warned that unless urgent reforms are implemented, Nigeria risks remaining trapped in a cycle where billions are spent on the power sector while darkness persists, leaving citizens to question the value of repeated interventions.
Additional CSO Concerns on Budgeting and Debt Management
ACTIONAID Nigeria, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), CISLAC, Impact Bridge Africa, Plan International, and other CSOs further expressed concern about the opacity, disregard for timeliness, and poor citizens' participation in the federal budgeting process and debt management. During a joint press briefing in Abuja, they decried the late presentation of the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
The CSOs noted that Section 14 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) stipulates that the MTEF should be presented to the National Assembly early July 2025, to ensure it is approved before lawmakers proceed on their mid-year recess. This delay, they argued, undermines effective fiscal planning and accountability, exacerbating the challenges faced by Nigerians amidst ongoing economic hardships.
