In February, the Presidency confirmed that Nigeria’s 2025 budget had climbed to N54 trillion, an increase from the N47 trillion initially presented to the National Assembly in late 2024.

This revised figure is not just the highest budget since Nigeria’s independence, it also nearly doubles the N28.7 trillion approved for the 2024 fiscal year.

According to the Presidency’s official statements, the additional N4.53 trillion was made possible by increased revenue from key government agencies.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service reportedly generated an extra N1.5 trillion, the Nigeria Customs Service brought in N1.2 trillion, and other Government-Owned Enterprises accounted for N1.8 trillion.

These new funds, the Presidency said, were redirected to critical sectors of the economy. Allocations include N1 trillion for the Ministry of Solid Minerals and N1.5 trillion for recapitalising the Bank of Agriculture.

READ MORE: SPOTTED: NASS Quietly Increases 2025 Budget by N170bn Through Service Wide Vote

The Bank of Industry is set to receive N500 billion, while N1.5 trillion will go into infrastructure projects, including irrigation. Other allocations include N700 billion for rail and road transport, N250 billion for military barracks, N120 billion for military aviation and N50 billion for border community development.

However, not all changes made it into the Presidency’s statements. Quiet additions were made to the capital expenditure of the Presidency and to the National Assembly’s budget.

Presidency’s Capital Expenditure Jumps by N87 Billion

In the signed 2025 budget, the Presidency’s capital expenditure rose significantly from about N55 billion in the original appropriation bill to N142 billion.

That represents an increase of roughly N87 billion, or nearly 150 per cent. This increment largely benefited agencies like the State House, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).

The State House alone received an extra N10 billion for the full solarisation of the Presidential Villa, a curious allocation considering the administration’s frequent claims of energy progress.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Plans Fresh N5.4b for Presidential Villa Maintenance in 2025

Meanwhile, NIPSS — with core functions to provide high-level training in policy and strategy for senior executives — had its capital budget increased from N599 million to N852 million.

Two new capital projects were introduced under the institute: N48 million for a youth sensitisation campaign against underage gambling in Abuja, and N204 million for a “youth and women empowerment project” in Orlu-Orsu-Oru East, the home constituency of the House Committee on Special Duties chairman.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) also received a significant boost, with its budget jumping from N1.57 billion to over N20.6 billion.

This increase is mostly attributed to a single line item: N20 billion set aside for the acquisition of a new BPE headquarters in Abuja.

NALDA’s Budget Balloons with Unrelated Capital Projects

A similar trend played out at NALDA, whose budget soared from N7.43 billion to more than N34.2 billion.

Statutorily, NALDA’s mandate is agricultural land development and rural farmers support. But several new projects appear unrelated to its core responsibilities.

Among them are N500 million for renovating a high school in Esie, Kwara State, N250 million each for constructing and furnishing primary healthcare centres in Gabukka and Mallam Inna, Gombe State, N150 million for rural electrification in Ifedayo, Osun Central, N100 million for installing solar-powered streetlights in Iwo, Osun, and N1.5 billion for an MRI installation in Minna, Niger State.

Though these projects may provide public benefit, their inclusion under NALDA’s budget raises questions about oversight and mission creep.

READ ALSO: Reps Claimed Presidential Yacht Fund Went to Student Loans. But It Remained in the Budget Under New Name

National Assembly Quietly Adds N170 Billion During Review

Elsewhere in the revised budget, the National Assembly quietly raised its own allocation by N170 billion. This adjustment, recorded under the Service Wide Vote as “capital supplementation”, effectively increased the legislature’s funding by nearly 50 per cent, though the statutory transfer of N344.85 billion remained untouched.

The addition was documented in a supplementary order paper published on February 18, weeks after the revised budget had already been submitted. It did not originate from the Executive’s proposal, indicating that the change occurred during the legislative review.

This is not the first time the National Assembly has made such adjustments. In 2024, its budget rose from N197 billion to N344 billion during the appropriation review phase