Civil Society Groups Call for Investigation into Alleged 2026 Budget Issues

A group of civil society organizations has asked the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate possible problems with Nigeria’s 2026 budget. They raised concerns about questionable agencies included in the budget and projects that may not align with what the government agencies are supposed to do.

The petition was presented at a news conference in Lagos by Buna Olaitan and Wyseman Ajayi, representing the Coalition of Civil Society in Nigeria. They highlighted issues such as unauthorized changes to federal projects and allocations that do not seem to fit the agencies’ legal responsibilities.

One major concern is a reported allocation of 1.3 billion Naira to the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). The coalition noted that the ICPC had previously investigated this council and questioned how this funding made it into the budget.

The group is calling for a thorough investigation that includes reviewing original budget documents, project codes, and payment records. They want to ensure accountability from officials involved in proposing and approving these allocations.

They specifically requested that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, be questioned about his role in the budget process. However, they emphasized that the investigation should include all public officials and contractors linked to the questionable budget items.

Senator Adeola has defended his actions and called the petitions politically motivated, especially as he is a candidate for the Ogun State governorship in the upcoming elections. He has challenged the ICPC to investigate him if any wrongdoing is found.

In response to similar concerns, legislative reviews have indicated that the 1.3 billion Naira allocation was part of the original budget proposal from the Executive branch and not a recent addition by the National Assembly.