BudgIT Exposes N393bn Streetlight Allocation in 2025 Budget

Civic tech organisation BudgIT has raised the alarm over suspicious and extravagant allocations in Nigeria’s 2025 national budget, questioning the justification for billions earmarked for basic infrastructure projects, particularly streetlights.

In a viral social media post on Monday, BudgIT quipped: “With the amount of ‘Streetlights’ in this 2025 budget, Nigeria is supposed to be the Light of the World.”

The watchdog revealed that 1,477 streetlights were allocated a staggering N393.29 billion, an average of N266 million per unit prompting sarcastic reactions including: “Are we installing the sun?”

The group listed several other questionable insertions in the budget, including:

538 boreholes at N114.53 billion

2,122 ICT projects totaling N505.79 billion

43 community town halls for N17.23 billion

561 education projects at N179.96 billion

319 health projects receiving N420.09 billion

32 traditional ruler empowerment projects at N6.74 billion

1,380 road projects costing N1.44 trillion

24 security vehicles budgeted at N11.7 billion

Many Nigerians are calling for a deeper investigation into how public funds are allocated and spent.

BudgIT’s revelations add to growing concerns over fiscal accountability and the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms within Nigeria’s legislative and executive branches.