In 2023, North Central Nigeria states approved budgets running into several billions of naira for the development of their state’s infrastructure and other key needs.
A WikkiTimes review of budget performance documents has however shown that these budgetary allocations have not translated into actual expenditures.
Capital expenditures are earmarked for development and are more termed the “infrastructure budget” of states.
Nigerian States have been identified as needing more infrastructures as paucity of key infrastructures hamper development and economic growth.
In Kwara state, while the sum of N135.1 billion was approved for capital expenditure for the 2023 fiscal year, only N61.03 billion was spent. This represents 45.2% budget performance.
In Benue state, N71.29 billion was approved for the year’s capital expenditure, however the sum of N32.41 billion was the actual expenditure at the end of the year, showing a 45.5% performance.
In Nasarawa, the situation was not different for 2023, at the beginning of the year while N61.8 billion was approved as capital expenditure, N30.8 billion was the real expended amount, this represents a 49.8% execution.
In another instance, Niger state signed a capital expenditure of N363.4 billion but could only spend N123.9 billion for its capital needs at the end of the full year fiscal period.
Plateau recorded the lowest budget performance for the North Central region of the country, having a poor capital expenditure of 8.7%. This is as a sum of N65.7 billion was earmarked for developmental needs with only N5.7 billion spent.
Only Kogi state spent above 50% of its approved capital expenditure. In 2023, the sum of N65.6 billion was approved as expenditure for capital needs but N44.4 billion was spent at the end of the year.
Poor capital expenditure, a trend
A WikkiTimes report earlier noted that Niger state recorded same poor performance for its capital expenditure in 2022, showing a trend of low performance.
In Kwara state, only 65% of the approved capital expenditure was spent in 2022. N86.9 billion was approved with N56.4 billion spent at the end of the year.
Nigeria has been faced with challenges of key infrastructure, a development that may be harmed further by the poor performance of capital expenditures aimed at addressing these infrastructural deficits.
