The budget for food and catering supplies at Nigeria’s State House has surged by 20% from 2022 to 2024, prompting scrutiny amid ongoing economic challenges.
Allocations remained unchanged at N702.95 million for 2022 and 2023, before jumping to N845.07 million in 2024.
The office of the President received a total allocation of N856.57 million over the three years, while the Vice President’s office was allocated N650.84 million.
The State House Headquarters saw an allocation of N743.55 million during this period.
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President Bola Tinubu presented the 2024 appropriations bill to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023, which was later signed into law at N28.7 trillion—N1.2 trillion higher than initially proposed. This budget reflected significant increases in various allocations, particularly for food and catering services.
A breakdown indicates that the 2024 budget allocated N253.27 million for State House administration, N254.27 million for the President, and N337.52 million for the Vice President, marking notable increases compared to previous years.
According to data from GovSpend, the State House spent approximately N566.22 million on rice and other food items from March to September 2024, with major payments made to suppliers for significant quantities of rice and seasoning.
During a recent presentation, Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr. Olufunso Adebiyi, emphasized the necessity of increased allocations due to heightened demands from various sectors within the government.
He stated, “This has gone a long way in enhancing our performance as an important arm of government, especially regarding the welfare of staff and capital projects.”
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Critics of the spending have called for more prudent fiscal management.
Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, argued that government expenditures should reflect the country’s economic realities, stating, “Until we have a new constitution that regulates government spending, we will still be battling with the problem.”
In defense of the allocations, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Temitope Ajayi, clarified that the budget is not solely for the personal use of the President or Vice President.
He explained, “Such budgetary provisions are made to accommodate many state events, meetings, hosting of VIPs, and visits by foreign dignitaries.”
