Budget Office Clarifies ₦12.83 Trillion Allocation Details

Tanimu Yakubu, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, addressed claims that the ₦12.83 trillion Service-Wide Vote (SWV) in the 2026 Appropriation Act is a “slush fund,” labeling such assertions as misleading. He explained that the SWV is a statutory budget classification for expenditures across multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

The allocation includes ₦2.18 trillion for personnel costs, ₦1.52 trillion for other recurrent expenditures, and ₦9.12 trillion for capital expenditures. The personnel costs cover salary adjustments, minimum wage implementation, and social obligations like pensions and death benefits.

The recurrent allocation supports national responsibilities, including military operations and social investment initiatives. The capital expenditure encompasses legacy liabilities and commitments to contractors.

Yakubu emphasized that these allocations are not discretionary but fulfill legally authorized obligations approved by the National Assembly.