Despite proposing budgets running into trillions of naira, state governments across North-Central zone are consistently spending far less, particularly on capital projects meant to drive development.
A WikkiTimes review of budget implementation reports from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa and Plateau states between 2023 and 2025 reveals a recurring pattern of weak execution, stalled capital projects and widening gaps between fiscal promises and citizens’ lived realities.
Across the region, budgets have expanded rapidly over the last four years. From Benue to Plateau, annual spending plans now run into hundreds of billions of naira, and in Niger State’s case, well over a trillion.
According to the review, these figures suggest ambition, growth and renewed commitment to development. In practice, however, budget performance data tells a more troubling story as higher budgets have not translated into proportional spending, especially on roads, schools, hospitals and water infrastructure.
By 2026, all six states plan to spend significantly more than they did just three years earlier. Proposed budgets stand at ₦695 billion for Benue, ₦820 billion for Kogi, ₦644 billion for Kwara, ₦1.7 trillion for Niger, ₦545.2 billion for Nasarawa and ₦914.8 billion for Plateau.
However, the budget performance review from 2023 to 2025 records show that bigger budgets alone do not guarantee delivery. In several cases, total implementation struggles to cross the 50 per cent mark, while capital expenditure that is the most critical component for development performs even worse.
Benue: Rising Ambition, Falling Capital Performance
Benue State’s proposed ₦695 billion budget for 2026 represents a sharp increase from previous years. But recent trends raise doubts about the state’s capacity to execute such an ambitious plan.
In 2023, Benue approved ₦179.7 billion and spent ₦110.7 billion, achieving 61.6% total implementation. Capital expenditure stood at ₦71.2 billion, of which only ₦32.4 billion was spent a 45% performance.
Performance improved in 2024 as out of a ₦373 billion budget, the state spent ₦243 billion (65.3%), while capital execution reached 65.2% with ₦142.5 spent out of ₦218.5 billion.
However, the gains were reversed in 2025 as of the third quarter, only ₦242.2 billion of the ₦550.1 billion budget had been spent which is just 44%. Capital performance collapsed to 25.3%, with ₦90.5 billion spent out of ₦357.6 billion.
The sharp decline suggests increasing difficulty in translating larger budgets into actual projects.
Kogi: The Exception in the Region
Kogi State stands out as the most consistent performer in the region according to the reviewed performance reports. Its ₦820 billion proposed budget for 2026 is supported by relatively strong execution records.
In 2023, Kogi implemented 82% (₦162 billion) of its ₦197.5 billion budget, while capital spending reached 67.8% which is ₦65.6 billion. The state maintained momentum in 2024, achieving 79.9% (₦324.7billion of ₦406.3) total implementation and over 71% (₦126.8 billion of ₦177.6 billion) capital performance.
Although performance dipped slightly in 2025, Kogi still spent over 71% (₦430.2) of its ₦604.5 billion budget, with capital execution at 59.5% (₦146 billion of ₦245.5 billion).
The figures suggest that, unlike many of its peers, Kogi’s budgets are more likely to translate into completed projects and visible public services.
Kwara: Big Capital Votes, Modest Results
Kwara State plans to spend ₦644 billion in 2026, but its implementation history shows persistent execution challenges.
In 2023, the state implemented 58.8% (₦150.9b) of its budget ₦256.6b, with capital performance at 45.2% (₦61b out of ₦135.1b).
In 2024, total performance improved slightly to 59.1%, with ₦296.1 billion spent out of ₦500.7 billion. Capital performance rose to 53.4%, as ₦182.8 billion was spent from ₦342 billion.
However, in 2025, despite a large ₦626.6 billion budget, Kwara spent ₦329 billion, just 52.5%. Capital expenditure dropped to 37.7%, with ₦162 billion spent out of ₦429.6 billion.
The pattern suggests that rising capital allocations are not translating into proportional development, leaving major infrastructure projects underfunded.
Niger: Grand Plans, Fragile Delivery
Niger State presents the sharpest contrast between ambition and execution. Its ₦1.7 trillion proposed budget for 2026 is the largest in the North-Central zone.
In 2023, Niger implemented 40.3% of its ₦473.9 billion budget, spending ₦190.9 billion. Capital expenditure stood at ₦123.9 billion out of ₦363.4 billion, or 34.1%.
Its performance surged in 2024. Out of ₦805.5 billion, Niger spent ₦540.4 billion, achieving 67.1% implementation. Capital performance was at 68.4%, with ₦423.8 billion spent out of ₦619.4 billion.
In 2025, only the second quarter performance report is available, showing that from the ₦1.5 trillion budget, only ₦178.2 billion was spent, just 11.4% implementation as of that time. Capital expenditure was even worse: ₦104.6 billion out of ₦1.3 trillion, or 7.7%.
As of press time, third- and fourth-quarter reports had not been uploaded for public scrutiny.
Nasarawa: Steady but Struggling to Scale
Nasarawa State’s ₦545.2 billion 2026 budget proposal reflects growth, but implementation remains a concern.
In 2023, the state achieved 63.4% implementation, spending ₦99.8 billion out of ₦157.4 billion. Capital performance stood at 49.8%, with ₦30.8 billion spent from ₦61.8 billion.
In 2024, performance dipped slightly, with ₦185.9 billion spent out of ₦356.4 billion, or 52.2%, while capital expenditure was 37.2% (₦76.6 billion of ₦206.2 billion).
As of the third quarter of 2025, its total performance stood at 51.3%, with ₦197.2 billion spent out of ₦384.3 billion, and capital performance at 41.1% (₦92 billion of ₦223.7 billion).
The data suggests that Nasarawa State avoids dramatic collapses but struggles to scale up delivery, limiting the pace of development.
Plateau: Capital Projects Bear the Brunt
Plateau State’s ₦914.8 billion proposed budget for 2026 comes against a background of swings in performance.
In its 2023 budget, Plateau implemented 70.8% of its ₦181 billion budget, spending ₦128.1 billion. However, capital expenditure was just ₦5.7 billion out of ₦65.7 billion, a mere 8.7%.
In 2024, total performance remained high at 72.3% (₦256.2 billion of ₦354.3 billion), but capital spending improved only slightly to 29.5% (₦32.6 billion of ₦110.7 billion).
Its 2025 budget performance as of the second quarter, from a ₦499.4 billion budget, ₦121 billion was spent—24.2% implementation. Capital expenditure collapsed to 8.2%, with ₦24 billion spent out of ₦292.2 billion.
These data indicate that Plateau’s budgets repeatedly fail where it matters most, the capital projects, leaving communities without the infrastructure promised year after year.
Big Budgets, Limited Impact
Across the region, budget size has not equalled budget performance or its impact on the lives of the people. While Kogi demonstrates that consistent execution is possible, states like Niger and Plateau show how ambitious budgets can falter without realistic planning and strong institutions.
For citizens, poor budget implementation means bad roads, overcrowded hospitals, under-equipped schools and stalled economic growth.
As 2026 begins with even larger fiscal proposals, the real test for governors will not be how much they plan to spend, but how much of those trillions actually reach the ground.
