ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee has approved the release of N7.895bn to fund the operations of the Secretariat of the National Economic Council in 2025, even as Ministries, Departments, and Agencies continue to complain about inadequate funding and low capital releases.
Documents obtained revealed that the amount was drawn from the 0.5 per cent Stabilisation Fund Account as of December 2025 and was approved by the Chairman of the council and Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
The secretariat functions as the administrative and technical hub of the council, coordinating engagements between the Federal Government and state governors.
It also provides policy research and advisory support, tracks the implementation of council resolutions, and promotes intergovernmental collaboration on key economic and fiscal reforms nationwide.
The document showed that the sum represented the total allocation approved for the NEC Secretariat’s operations for the 2025 fiscal year, with the stabilisation account recording a closing balance of N54.27bn within the same period.
According to the document titled Statement of 0.5 per cent Stabilisation Fund Account as at December 2025, the disbursement followed a recommendation by the revenue-sharing committee during its statutory meeting.
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It stated in part, “The sum of N7,895,516,050.00 was approved by the Chairman of the National Economic Council for the operations of the NEC Secretariat for the year 2025 from the Stabilisation Fund. The closing balance in the account stood at N54,274,642,496.53.”
The disclosure comes amid growing concerns among several MDAs over what they describe as shrinking fiscal space and inadequate fund releases, which they say are hampering the implementation of key government programmes and widening the gap between approved budgets and actual disbursements.
During the 2026 budget defence at the National Assembly, a number of ministries and agencies raised strong concerns, warning that limited funding in 2025 negatively affected project execution and service delivery, according to media reports.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare disclosed that capital releases in 2025 were extremely low.
Minister Muhammad Ali Pate informed lawmakers that only N36m was released out of the N218bn approved for capital projects during the year.
He noted that the situation weakened healthcare infrastructure and slowed the implementation of critical interventions.
Analysts said the development comes at a time when Nigeria faces increasing public health challenges, health worker migration, and growing demand for medical services.
Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Transportation reported that just about one per cent of its N256.73bn allocation for 2025 was released, amounting to roughly N2.57bn.
The ministry warned that the shortfall stalled major rail, road, and marine projects across the country.
The Federal Ministry of Interior also revealed that it recorded zero capital releases in both 2024 and 2025, raising concerns about infrastructure for immigration services, correctional facilities, and internal security operations.
Lawmakers described the development as unsustainable and called for urgent reforms.
Within the social sector, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs also decried low allocations and poor disbursement patterns.
The ministry warned that programmes targeting vulnerable women, children, and internally displaced persons had been affected.
Concerns over poor funding were also raised within the security and intelligence sector.
The House Committee on National Security and Intelligence described funding to the intelligence community as abysmal, warning that allocations did not reflect the Federal Government’s commitment to national security.
The sector, which includes the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and other agencies, reportedly faced delayed fund releases and limited operational budgets.
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Lawmakers said the trend weakens efforts to address terrorism, insurgency, and organised crime.
Oversight institutions have also been affected. The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation revealed that only about four per cent of its 2025 capital allocation was released, significantly limiting its ability to audit government institutions.
Lawmakers noted that the office, which is responsible for reviewing over 1,000 government entities, was unable to deploy modern technology or expand its oversight activities due to funding limitations.
Other agencies, including the Nigeria Correctional Service and the Public Complaints Commission, also appealed for increased funding to improve their operations.
The approval of funds for the NEC Secretariat has triggered renewed debate among policy stakeholders, as many government agencies continue to grapple with delayed releases and shortfalls in capital allocations.
The wave of complaints has prompted some observers to question whether the government is prioritising the secretariat over other MDAs, many of which say they lack sufficient resources to fulfil their mandates.
The persistent gap between approved budgets and actual releases undermines the effectiveness of public spending and raises concerns about fiscal sustainability.
Nigeria’s fiscal space remains under strain due to rising debt service obligations, weak revenue growth, and increasing demand for social spending following the removal of fuel subsidy under President Bola Tinubu.
The NEC, chaired by the Vice President and comprising state governors, serves as a key platform for coordinating economic policies between the Federal Government and subnational administrations.
The Stabilisation Fund is one of the special accounts managed under the federation revenue framework to cushion fiscal shocks and support strategic interventions.
Under the revenue-sharing formula, 0.5 per cent of federally collected revenue is set aside in the fund to support economic stability and emergency interventions.
The NEC Secretariat, which coordinates council meetings, policy implementation, and engagements with states, depends on such allocations to carry out its responsibilities.
However, the development has intensified discussions around fiscal prioritisation in Nigeria, as the government attempts to balance macroeconomic stability, service delivery, and economic reforms amid tightening revenues.