Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Agbedo is a Professor of Linguistics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a contributing analyst to USAfrica)
Nigeria’s poverty and hunger statistics are alarming, presenting a sobering reality of hardship for millions. In 2024, the World Poverty Clock reported that over 70 million Nigerians were living in extreme poverty. Simultaneously, the National Bureau of Statistics placed 133 million Nigerians under multidimensional poverty, while the Global Report on Food Crises identified 24.9 million experiencing acute hunger. Nigeria ranks second globally in food insecurity, behind only the Democratic Republic of Congo. These staggering numbers are not mere data. They translate into real human suffering.
The recurring stampedes at palliative distribution points in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja, which claimed dozens of lives, underscore this grim reality. Earlier in October this year, a heartbreaking incident unfolded in Majiya town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, where a petrol tanker explosion claimed the lives of over 160 people and left many others hospitalized. This tragic event, which occurred as desperate individuals scrambled to scoop spilled fuel, underscores the acute level of poverty, hunger, and desperation ravaging underprivileged Nigerians. These tragedies highlight the desperation of poverty-stricken Nigerians and demand urgent action. Amid this troubling backdrop, a rare voice of reason has emerged from Bello El-Rufai, the federal lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency. The foregoing forms the thrust of discussion in this piece.
In spite of Nigeria’s dire poverty and hunger statistics, there is nothing to suggest that fixated indulgence in fiscal excesses is set to abate anytime soon. Revelations about bloated budgets, such as the 2025 proposals of some offices to spend staggering millions of Naira on new vehicles, computers, photocopiers, honoraria, among other excesses tend to reflect a troubling disconnect. Such spending is particularly egregious in a country where millions struggle daily to afford basic necessities. The stampedes at palliative distribution centres are not isolated incidents but direct consequences of systemic neglect and governance failure as evident in the fiscal excesses of Nigeria’s budgeting system.
The report by BudgIT (published on Wednesday 13 march, 2024) revealing the insertion of 7,447 projects worth ₦2.24 trillion into the 2024 budget by the National Assembly shone a piercing light on the fiscal recklessness characterizing Nigeria’s budgeting process. The report followed allegations by Senator Abdul Ningi that over ₦3 trillion in the 2024 budget, totaling ₦28.7 trillion, remained unallocated to any specific projects. This unsettling development raised critical questions about fiscal transparency, accountability, and the overall integrity of Nigeria’s budgetary framework. This troubling pattern underscored a system riddled with inefficiencies, personalized interests, and misaligned priorities, contributing to the country’s enduring fiscal and developmental crises, including poverty, hunger, and palliative distribution-induced deaths.
BudgIT’s report breakdown paints a damning picture: (high-value projects) – 55 projects valued at over ₦5 billion each, totaling ₦580.7 billion, suggest an opaque allocation of funds to initiatives whose impact is questionable; (small to medium-sized projects) – thousands of projects in the range of ₦100–₦500 million worth ₦759 billion and 281 projects over ₦1 billion worth ₦491 billion raise questions about their necessity and execution capacity; (misplaced priorities) – the insertion of 1,150 streetlight projects worth ₦212 billion and 427 boreholes valued at ₦82.5 billion, among others, reflects a fragmented approach to infrastructure that lacks strategic coherence. This disorganized and self-serving allocation undermines the very essence of a national budget, which is to pool resources for collective and impactful development.
Budget analysis of past budgets reveals that this practice is not new. The insertion of 1,125 and 1,522 projects into the 2021 and 2022 budgets of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, among others, is a testament to a long-standing culture of fiscal excesses. These projects often target agencies (Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Lagos; Federal Cooperative College, Oji River) that lack the technical capacity to execute them, resulting in poorly implemented initiatives and wasted resources.
The devastating stampede on December 18, 2024, in Ibadan’s Bashorun district that claimed the lives of 35 children and left six others hospitalized is a haunting reminder of the grim realities many Nigerians face. The event, meant to spread joy and relief during the festive season, ended in tragedy. What was intended to provide hope became a testament to the crushing weight of poverty and systemic neglect in Nigeria. The event, designed to provide financial aid and festive cheer to children aged 0-13, drew an overwhelming crowd, enticed by promises of ₦5,000 cash handouts, free food, and scholarships. While such gestures of goodwill are commendable, they also underline a harsh truth. The economic crisis in Nigeria has reached a level where offerings of ₦5,000 (approximately $3.20) can draw thousands of desperate families. In a country where over 133 million people live in multidimensional poverty and 24.9 million face acute hunger, such gestures are more than a seasonal celebration. They are lifelines for survival.
In Okija, 27 people perished in a rush for rice palliatives. Similarly, in Abuja, unspecified number of lives were lost under equally harrowing circumstances. These recurrent tragedies paint a grim picture of desperation and the failure of both private initiatives and public systems to address the root causes of Nigeria’s deepening poverty. The devastating stampedes in Okija, Abuja, and Ibadan within a space of four days expose the tragic intersection of extreme poverty, mismanagement, and systemic neglect. Intended to spread joy during the festive season, these charity events became death traps, leaving families mourning loved ones who sought nothing more than survival.
The loss of 35 young lives at the Ibadan is not just a tragedy; it is an indictment of a nation that has consistently failed to provide for its most vulnerable citizens. Children, who should be the bedrock of Nigeria’s future, are instead victims of its economic mismanagement and social inequities. The lure of a meager cash handout and basic provisions speaks volumes about the level of deprivation many families endure daily. At a time when millions are battling acute hunger, events promising food or financial aid become magnets for the impoverished, leading to chaotic and often deadly outcomes. These tragedies are symptoms of a deeper malaise – a nation where bloated budgets, wasteful spending, and fiscal indiscipline exacerbate the suffering of its citizens.
It is in this regard that Hon. El-Fufai’s criticism of the recurring frivolities in government budgets and impassioned plea for fiscal responsibility, urging his fellow lawmakers to demonstrate fiscal discipline resonates as a voice of reason in a system plagued by excess and insensitivity. Speaking passionately on the floor of the House of Representatives, El-Rufai highlighted the absurdity of recurring budgetary allocations for items like utensils, vehicles, and furniture, which are neither perishable nor frequently replaceable, while critical social investments remain neglected. “Nigerians are tired of every agency buying forks and knives every year,” he remarked, calling for drastic cuts to unnecessary expenditures.
As the lawmaker aptly put it, “Since I was a boy, every year’s budget includes new computers and furniture, yet these items do not expire… We should cut them out entirely. We cannot implement a tax reform bill to strengthen the fiscal position of this country while, as leaders, we fail to cut costs.” His observations resonate with many Nigerians who struggle to understand why their leaders cannot demonstrate the same fiscal discipline they are often asked to practise. It is a statement of fact that the status quo is neither sustainable nor acceptable. This explains why it is no brainer connecting the dots of bloated budgets and public misery. Otherwise, how one would go about rationalising annual budgets that feature recurrent allocations for items like vehicles and office furniture, whose life span hardly terminate at the end of the fiscal year, in a country where more than half of the population contends with multidimensional poverty.
Bello El-Rufai’s critique is a step in the right direction, but it must be followed by concrete actions. The National Assembly should take up the mantle of fiscal responsibility by mandating comprehensive audits, enforcing accountability, prioritizing social investments, and fostering transparency. However, will the powers-that-be ever listen and put a leash on their opulent indulgence? Unfortunately, history offers little optimism about the willingness of the ruling class to heed calls for fiscal restraint. Nonetheless, the growing discontent among citizens and voices like Bello El-Rufai’s offer a glimmer of hope. His critique presents a rare spark in the dark waters of transactional politics often clouded by self-interest.
His call to scrutinize and cut down on wasteful spending offers a blueprint for more responsible governance. Of course, it is quite obvious that Nigeria cannot afford to continue down this path of fiscal excesses. Leadership demands not only vision but the courage to make tough decisions that benefit the greater good. After all, the juxtaposition of needless expenditures against the backdrop of hunger-induced stampedes and fatal consequences represents a damning indictment of our style of governance. It underscores the urgency of prioritizing the well-being of citizens over the comforts of the political class.
The deaths in Abuja, Okija, and Ibadan are pointers to how misalignment of priorities in governance exacerbate the suffering of the most vulnerable. The tragedies of Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja must not be in vain. They demand more than mourning. They demand a national reckoning. They should compel a reassessment of governance priorities and fiscal policies. Leaders must recognize that every naira wasted on extravagance could save a life or feed a family. Nigeria’s budgeting system should be a tool for addressing poverty, hunger, and infrastructural deficits, not a mechanism for advancing individual interests. BudgIT’s exposé is a timely reminder of the need for fiscal responsibility, as echoed by voices like Hon Bello El-Rufai. If the National Assembly and the executive fail to address these fiscal excesses, the consequences will continue to haunt Nigeria’s developmental trajectory. The time to act is now, to reform the budgeting process, rein in fiscal indiscipline, and align resources with the needs of the Nigerian people.
Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The recurring tragedies at palliative distribution points remind us all that addressing the root causes of poverty is not just a moral imperative; it is a matter of life and death. The 35 children who perished in Ibadan deserved a future. The untimely deaths of Nigerian citizens in Okija and Abuja must not be in vain. Instead, they should serve as a catalyst for meaningful change, a reminder that no nation can prosper while its children and adult citizens alike die in desperation. As the festive season continues, let these losses serve as a call to action. Nigeria must invest in its people, not just with words but with tangible, transformative policies that ensure no citizen has to risk their life for a bag of rice or a few naira notes. Charity may ease temporary suffering, but only systemic change can prevent these senseless tragedies from repeating. For the sake of those we have lost, let this human carnage be the last.
On a final note, the challenge before us as a people is turning the recurrent tragedies at palliative distribution points into a transformation. The avoidable deaths at Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja constitute a national tragedy, but they must also serve as a turning point. Fiscal responsibility is no longer a mere policy choice; it is a moral imperative. The ongoing hunger-driven stampedes are a direct indictment of a system that prioritizes extravagance over empathy. Hon Bello El-Rufai’s call is a clarion one. Nigeria must cut down on frivolous expenditures and invest in its people. This is the only path to preventing further tragedies, addressing the root causes of desperation, and restoring dignity to the lives of millions. Let these tragic losses not be in vain. Let them ignite a movement toward fiscal discipline, social justice, and a nation that truly prioritizes the welfare of its citizens.
