EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Ministry of Science and Technology Budgets N1 Billion to Renovate INEC Office in Ogun — Outside Its Mandate

Despite having no statutory mandate to do so, Nigeria's Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has allocated N1 billion in the 2025 federal budget for the renovation of an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ogun State.

A review of the final approved 2025 budget by SaharaReporters reveals that the allocation appears in the ministry's budget lines, raising questions about the legality and transparency of the spending. The INEC office in question is located in the southwestern region of the country.

According to official government descriptions, the ministry’s core function is to drive national development through science, technology, and innovation (STI)—not electoral infrastructure or activities related to INEC. The ministry is meant to serve as a hub for promoting technological solutions to national challenges, not managing election-related renovations.

It remains unclear why or how the ministry became involved in the renovation project.

The discovery adds to the growing scrutiny surrounding Nigeria’s 2025 budget, which has been widely criticized for alleged misuse and politically driven insertions.

Earlier this year, civic tech group BudgIT raised alarms over massive insertions into the federal budget by the National Assembly. The organization reported that 11,122 projects worth N6.93 trillion were added with little to no justification or alignment with Nigeria’s development priorities.

BudgIT’s analysis noted that:

• 238 projects, each above N5 billion (totaling N2.29 trillion), were included without clear rationale.

• 984 projects worth N1.71 trillion, and 1,119 projects valued between N500 million and N1 billion (totaling N641.38 billion), were also flagged as questionable.

“These insertions reflect a deepening pattern of budgetary abuse,” BudgIT stated. “They divert resources from urgent national needs and often serve political interests rather than strategic development goals.”

Additional findings from BudgIT include:

• 3,573 projects worth N653.19 billion tied to federal constituencies.

• 1,972 projects worth N444.04 billion allocated to senatorial districts.

• 1,477 streetlight projects totaling N393.29 billion,

• 538 borehole projects worth N114.53 billion,

• 2,122 ICT projects amounting to N505.79 billion, and

• N6.74 billion allocated for the "empowerment of traditional rulers."

One of the most alarming revelations is that 39% of all questionable insertions—4,371 projects worth N1.72 trillion—were routed through the Ministry of Agriculture, inflating its capital budget from N242.5 billion to N1.95 trillion.

Other ministries, including Science and Technology and Budget and National Planning, also saw significant inflation, with insertions amounting to N994.98 billion and N1.1 trillion, respectively.

BudgIT further noted the misuse of certain government agencies—such as the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) in Lagos and the Federal Cooperative College in Oji River—which have been used as channels for unrelated and unauthorized projects.