Nigerian Govt Allocates N6.04 Billion for Ajaokuta Steel Staff Despite Zero Output

The Nigerian government plans to allocate N6.04 billion for staff costs at the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited in 2026, despite the steel complex remaining non-operational for four decades. The budget breakdown reveals that 90.4% of the total budget is allocated to personnel expenses, with a significant portion going towards salaries, wages, and statutory contributions.

This allocation highlights the imbalance between recurrent and capital expenditures, with minimal investment in asset rehabilitation and infrastructure. The trend of increasing personnel costs despite zero production raises questions about the sustainability of funding for a non-functional industrial enterprise like Ajaokuta Steel.