THE Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) budgeted N700 million for the construction of inner roads in Igbo Etu/Apuabi communities in Iyin, Ekiti State, in the 2026 Federal Government’s appropriation bill.
It proposes to spend another N420 million on the renovation of six primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State within the financial year.
The institute also plans to spend N980 million on the provision of 14-seater buses for religious and community development organisations in Ikeja, Lagos State from its proposed N58.68 billion (N58,679,565,787) for the year.
Finding showed that the N980 million earmarked by the institute for PHCs repair represents 1.67 per cent of its total budget.
The ICIR reports that the proposed spending is outside the mandate of the institute, which includes “Rational exploitation of marine resources and conservation for sustainable development and healthy environment.”
Other statutory responsibilities of the organisation obtained from its website include “Genetic improvement of marine and brackich water living resources in Nigeria; brackich and marine waters; establishment of physical and chemical characteristics of Nigerian territorial waters and the determination of the effects of pollution of Nigerian coastal waters, and its prevention.
The institute budgeted another N1.05 billion for the fabrication, fencing and equipping of ultra-modern town halls in selected schools of South-South states
The N1.05 billion budget represents 1.79 per cent of the total N58.67 billion for the institute in the proposed budget.
It also seeks to spend N490 million on the supply of grains to the less privileged people of Njikoka/Anaocha and Njikoka Federal Constituency to reduce hunger in selected communities.
The proposals are coming at a time when the government is to fund a large chunk of its budget from borrowing through domestic and dollar-denominated bonds.
The government is also struggling to fund the capital component of its budget, with only 30 per cent achievement recorded in 2025, while 70 per cent was carried over to 2026.
Apart from the stipulated fund for borrowing, a large chunk of the budget is to be funded by the new tax laws.
Economic watchers lent their voice and urged the National Assembly to subject the 2026 budget to rigorous scrutiny, with lots of questionable allocations already identified in the N58.47 trillion 2026 appropriation bill.
The scrutiny, they said, should not be neglected, given the government’s proposal to borrow N17.89 trillion to fund the 2026 budget.
With Nigeria entering a new fiscal phase in which oil revenues play a lesser role, analysts said legislative diligence during budget defence sessions must not be optional but central to fiscal credibility.
Chief Economist at SPM Professionals, Paul Alaje, said the 2026 budget is most likely to be funded largely by tax revenue and borrowings.
He warned that while the government had expressed optimism around tax reforms, Nigeria’s fiscal history suggests borrowing will still play a dominant role.
“Perhaps the government expects taxes to deliver the 2026 budget, but if that does not happen, borrowing will finance the gap. The framework already shows borrowing above 30 per cent of financing needs, and that could rise,” Alaje said.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.