Nigeria budget implementation and accountability

The International Budget Partnership (IBP) Nigeria announced the PULSE Summit 2026, scheduled for September 3 in Abuja, to examine the gap between official budget allocations and the actual delivery of services. IBP Nigeria officials noted that the critical failure point is the ‘last mile’—the stage where funds should translate into tangible services such as medicine, education, and water. Potential causes for implementation failures identified include poor planning, delayed fund releases, procurement delays, and weak oversight.

During the summit, Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele emphasized that a budget document alone does not provide essential services. Stakeholders at the event called for improved institutional frameworks to ensure approved budgets translate into public services. In Kaduna State, participants in an Open Government Partnership workshop reported similar gaps, noting that health operational plans often receive little to no funding, which impacts infrastructure and pandemic preparedness. Advocates are now seeking to involve citizens in tracking expenditures and monitoring performance.