Nigeria is grappling with a staggering 56,000 abandoned projects nationwide; a development stakeholders say reflects deep structural flaws in the country’s budgeting and implementation systems.
The figure, disclosed by Ben Akabueze, former director-general of the Budget Office of the Federation, has intensified calls for urgent reforms to align national planning with budget execution.
Speaking at a two-day National Policy Dialogue on National Development Planning and Budgeting in Abuja, Akabueze described the situation as a clear indication of systemic failure, where policy intentions rarely translate into tangible outcomes.
“This is a clear indication of the disconnect between our plans, our budgets, and the outcomes we are trying to achieve,” he said.
A Systemic Disconnect
Stakeholders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, warned that the persistence of abandoned projects underscores a long-standing gap between government planning and real-world delivery.
According to Akabueze, budgets, designed to serve as a roadmap for national development, have instead become ineffective tools, failing to direct resources toward priority sectors in a measurable way.
He argued that Nigeria’s budgeting approach remains overly focused on spending rather than results, calling for a shift toward a performance-based system that prioritises impact and accountability.
Legal and Structural Weaknesses
A key issue identified at the dialogue is the absence of a robust legal framework guiding Nigeria’s budgeting process.
Akabueze noted that the constitution provides limited direction beyond requiring the President to present the budget before the fiscal year, leaving critical gaps in defined timelines, institutional responsibilities, and enforcement mechanisms
Efforts to address this through an organic budget law during the 9th National Assembly were unsuccessful, a setback stakeholders say has weakened fiscal discipline.
Government Push for Reform
Representing the Vice President, economic adviser Tope Fasua emphasised the need for stronger integration between annual budgets and long-term development plans.
He stressed that Nigeria must move beyond routine budgeting and adopt a more coordinated, strategic framework that ensures projects are not only approved but completed.
“The key issue is how to ensure that our budgets are properly guided by development plans and how to build a pathway to sustainable growth,” he said.
Beyond GDP: Measuring Real Impact
Kashim Shettima further argued that budgeting success should not be judged solely by macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, but by real improvements in citizens’ welfare, including poverty reduction, increased income levels, and access to basic services
He defended the proposed N68 trillion 2026 budget as a forward-looking framework aimed at driving development, noting that budgeting should focus on future outcomes rather than present constraints.
A Growing Cost of Inefficiency
Participants at the dialogue agreed that the proliferation of abandoned projects represents not just wasted resources, but a missed opportunity for national development.
With billions of naira tied up in incomplete infrastructure, the consequences are far-reaching:
- Slower economic growth
- Reduced investor confidence
- Limited access to critical services
Stakeholders called for urgent reforms to strengthen coordination between planning and execution, introduce results-based budgeting systems, enhance transparency and accountability, and leverage technology to improve monitoring and delivery
Without these changes, they warned, Nigeria risks continuing a cycle where ambitious plans fail at the implementation stage, leaving thousands of projects abandoned and development goals unmet.
As the country seeks to reposition its economy, the challenge is no longer just about designing better budgets, but ensuring they deliver real, measurable outcomes for Nigerians.
