LABOUR Party’s presidential candidate in 2023 election, Peter Obi, has criticised the exclusion of North Central Development Commission from the N2.493 trillion budgetary allocation for regional development commissions in the 2025 proposed budget.
In a statement via his X handle, on Wednesday, January 1, Obi described the omission as “deeply troubling” and urged immediate rectification to ensure equitable development and lasting peace across the nation.
Obi noted that such an omission undermined efforts toward equitable development and peace across Nigeria, particularly in a region grappling with severe insecurity and displacements.
According to him, the North Central, which he said is widely regarded as Nigeria’s agricultural backbone, has been at the forefront of insecurity crises, with thousands forced into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
“The exclusion of the North Central Regional Commission from the budgetary allocations provided to other regional commissions in the 2025 proposed budget is deeply troubling and must be urgently reversed. Such an anomaly does not make for even development and peace that is needed for progress in the country.
“A total of N2.493 trillion has been allocated to five regional development commissions, with the North Central Regional Commission glaringly omitted.
“The North Central region requires special attention due to the severe challenges it faces today. Relentless terror attacks and banditry in Plateau, Benue, Kogi, and Niger States have caused immense suffering, resulting in significant loss of lives and forcing countless families into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. These persistent tragedies have made the North Central one of the most affected and vulnerable regions in Nigeria,” he said.
The ICIR’s analysis of the 2025 budget proposal revealed that five regional commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), North East Development Commission (NEDC), South West Development Commission (SWDC), North West Development Commission (NWDC), and South East Development Commission (SEDC), are expected to spend nearly all their N2.5 trillion allocation on salaries.
A breakdown of the 2024 budget proposal shows that the commissions will collectively spend 99.7 per cent of their budgets on personnel costs, while only leaving just 0.3 per cent for developmental projects.
The NDDC tops the list with N776.5 billion allocated entirely to salaries, followed by the NWDC with N585.9 billion and the SWDC with N498.4 billion.
The SEDC and NEDC also allocated the bulk of their budgets to personnel costs, sparking concerns over their ability to deliver tangible development outcomes.
Obi called on the government and National Assembly to urgently review the decision, warning that the exclusion could hinder development in a region vital to the country’s stability and agricultural output. “Together, we must work toward a more inclusive and equitable Nigeria,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu presented the N47.90 trillion 2025 budget proposal to the National Assembly, titled “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity” on Wednesday, December 18.
The budget, according to Tinubu, reflected the administration’s commitment to human capital development under its Renewed Hope Agenda.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had in October 2024 established the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee all the regional commissions.
The new ministry replaced the Niger Delta Development Ministry.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
I expect ICIR to question that Peter Obi comment especially as there is no North Central Regional (Development) Commission as we speak, so how does he expect budgetary allocation to a non existent agency? If funds had been set aside for it,won’t ICIR raise posers on it?