Atiku Abubakar Critiques ₦22.15bn Palace Renovation Budget

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Nigerian government's allocation of ₦22.15 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for the construction and renovation of 106 palaces across Nigeria, calling it a constitutional aberration. The criticism follows a report from civil society organization Tracka, part of the BudgIT Foundation, which revealed that ₦22.15 billion was earmarked for these palace projects.

The report highlighted accountability gaps, noting that 11 projects worth ₦5.85 billion lack identifiable physical locations, hindering public oversight. Furthermore, none of the 45 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) involved have the legal authority to construct royal structures, with funds being funneled through unrelated institutions.

Specific allocations included ₦2.661 billion to the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, and ₦1.54 billion to the Sheda Science and Technology Complex for palace modernization. Other allocations involved various research institutes and colleges, raising concerns about the legitimacy of these expenditures.