Budget Office Denies ₦246bn Salary Claim for NEDC
…Cites it as ‘Technical Placeholder’
By Patience Ikpeme
The Budget Office of the Federation has dismissed allegations that the North East Development Commission (NEDC) operates a ₦246 billion “salaries budget,” describing the claims as a total misinterpretation of Nigeria’s fiscal framework.
In a statement released in Abuja on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Director General of the Budget Office, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, labeled the reports as inaccurate and misleading.
He clarified that the ₦246.77 billion figure often cited in public discourse is not a dedicated personnel fund but a statutory lump-sum provision.
“Contrary to claims circulating in the public domain, the ₦246.77 billion reflected against the NEDC in the budget is not a salaries-only allocation.
It is a statutory lump-sum provision, initially presented at an aggregate level, consistent with established budget preparation practices for statutory and quasi-statutory bodies under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF),” Dr. Yakubu explained.
The Director General provided clarity on the “placeholder” nature of certain budget lines, noting that when agencies have not yet submitted a full internal breakdown during the initial upload phase, allocations may appear under the Personnel Cost heading for technical reasons.
“This is a recognized procedural convention pending detailed submissions, legislative adjustments, and approved reallocations during budget execution. This technical presentation must not be confused with spending intent,” he added.
Addressing concerns regarding the ₦2.70 billion allocated for capital expenditure, Dr. Yakubu noted that this figure only represents a portion of the commission’s developmental focus.
Yakubu revealed that the National Assembly approved a “rephrasing” of capital votes in the 2025 budget, which saw approximately 70 percent of those funds rolled into the 2026 fiscal year.” He insisted that this legislative shift in timing does not imply a lack of planned infrastructure or social projects.
The statement further listed various ongoing interventions managed by the NEDC that go beyond administrative costs. These include agricultural support programs, food security initiatives, the construction and rehabilitation of orphanages, IDP camp reconstruction, security logistics, and borehole projects. Dr. Yakubu cautioned that looking at a single budget line while ignoring these project schedules constitutes a distortion of facts.
“Personnel costs within a development commission are neither unusual nor improper. They fund engineers, procurement officers, project managers, monitoring and evaluation teams, and fiduciary oversight required to design, supervise, and deliver projects effectively. No development institution executes its mandate without institutional capacity,” the Budget Office chief said.
Dr. Yakubu maintained that the NEDC remains subject to strict accountability frameworks, including quarterly performance reporting and statutory audits. He welcomed public scrutiny but urged that it be rooted in a genuine understanding of how the national budget system functions.
“The claim that the NEDC exists merely to pay salaries is unfounded. It conflates technical budget presentation with actual expenditure intent, ignores legislative appropriation dynamics, and disregards project-level evidence already embedded in official documents. Misinformation does not serve accountability, and ignorance of the budget process should not be weaponized as public commentary,” the statement concluded.
