The Budget Office of the Federation has rejected claims that the North East Development Commission (NEDC) operates a ₦246 billion salaries budget, describing the allegation as misleading, inaccurate and based on a misunderstanding of the Federal Government’s budgeting framework.
The Budget Office in a Satement signed by its DG, Tanimu Yakubu, clarified that the ₦246.77 billion reflected against the NEDC in the federal budget is not a personnel-only allocation but a statutory lump-sum provision presented at an aggregate level in line with established budget preparation practices for statutory and quasi-statutory agencies under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
It said assertions that ₦244 billion of the allocation was earmarked solely for personnel costs were factually incorrect.
The Office explained that during budget preparation, where agencies do not immediately submit detailed internal economic breakdowns, allocations may temporarily appear under the personnel cost heading as a technical placeholder, pending detailed submissions, legislative adjustments and approved reallocations during budget execution.
“This technical presentation must not be confused with spending intent,” the statement noted.
On capital expenditure, the Budget Office said the ₦2.70 billion referenced in public commentary reflected the National Assembly’s approved rephrasing of capital votes in the 2025 budget, with about 70 per cent rolled into the 2026 fiscal year.
It stressed that this legislative decision on appropriation timing did not indicate the absence of development projects.
The Office pointed to project schedules attached to the budget, which include ongoing interventions across the North East such as agricultural support programmes, food security initiatives, orphanage construction and rehabilitation, IDP camp reconstruction, borehole projects, security logistics and constituency-level development schemes.
It added that personnel costs within a development commission were essential for engineers, procurement officers, project managers and monitoring teams required to design and deliver projects effectively.
The Budget Office said the NEDC operates within established accountability frameworks, including the MTEF, annual Appropriation Acts, National Assembly oversight, quarterly budget performance reporting and statutory audits.
While welcoming public scrutiny, it urged commentators to engage responsibly with fiscal information, warning that misinformation and misinterpretation of technical budget procedures undermine constructive accountability.
