Atiku Abubakar Alleges N8.8 Trillion Missing in Nigeria's Budget

Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, expressed alarm over an alleged N8.8 trillion in public spending that is reportedly missing from the official budget records. He cited a July 1, 2026, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV report, which indicated that a significant portion of Nigeria's GDP was spent outside the statutory budget framework.

Atiku accused Bola Tinubu's administration of running a parallel fiscal system ahead of the 2027 elections, claiming that this unaccounted expenditure represents a pattern of fiscal impunity in Nigeria's recent democratic history. He called on the media, civil society, and the National Assembly to focus on this issue.

Atiku also referenced the alleged illegitimate deduction of N800 billion from statutory allocations to state governments without National Assembly approval, suggesting that these funds were misappropriated for project purposes. He urged Nigerians to treat this matter seriously and demand full accountability for public finances, as the presidency had not responded to his claims at the time of reporting.