The Federal Government spent close to N7 billion on payments to contractors for diesel supply and related services between January 2025 and March 2026, with security agencies accounting for the largest share, an analysis has revealed.
Breakdown of Expenditure
The data shows that while N5.88 billion was paid in 2025, N1.1 billion had already been spent in the first three months of 2026. The transactions, uploaded on Govspend, were concentrated among security agencies, indicating that more taxpayer funds are being directed toward security despite persistent insecurity.
Key Spending Agencies
Although the transactions did not cover a wide range of government agencies, police formations and commands were at the forefront, accounting for over N1.5 billion in the wider dataset, making them the single largest spending entity. Other major security agencies include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which spent over N516.4 million, and the Nigeria Correctional Service, with N361.2 million. Combined, these three agencies accounted for over N2.2 billion, highlighting the scale of public funds channeled into law enforcement and custodial services.
Recent Procurement Surge
A closer review of 32 diesel procurement transactions between February 23 and March 30, 2026, shows that over N1.1 billion was disbursed to private vendors across 19 federal agencies within just five weeks. The payments cut across institutions, ranging from Federal Medical Centres and polytechnics to security agencies and the Voice of Nigeria (VON). However, diesel procurement remains a critical and recurring expense for public institutions, many of which depend on generators due to unreliable electricity supply.
