Legislature
Senate Committee Raises Alarm Over Low Release of ₦3.8bn from ₦348.7bn SDGs 2025 Budget Allocation
By Inalegwu Osemi
The Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), led by Danjuma Goje, has expressed deep concern over discrepancies and the minimal release of funds in the 2025 budget of the SDGs office.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, was unable to attend the budget defence owing to bereavement.
While outlining the 2025 budget performance, Bala revealed that out of the total approved appropriation of ₦348.7 billion for the year, only ₦3.8 billion has been released to date. He emphasized that despite the limited funding, the office remains dedicated to strengthening healthcare delivery, education, environmental sustainability, and other key development sectors nationwide.
During deliberations, the SOP acknowledged inaccuracies in some figures contained in the 2025 budget documents. He assured the committee that the records would be thoroughly reviewed and that corrected details would be submitted to the committee chairman.
Members of the committee also voiced dissatisfaction over the numerous incomplete projects associated with the SDGs office. Responding, the representative apologized and attributed the delays to contractors’ failure to fully deliver materials, assuring lawmakers that efforts were underway to ensure the projects are completed promptly.
Lawmakers further raised concerns about allegations that certain projects were executed with substandard materials, cautioning that such actions compromise the goals of sustainable development interventions. The committee underscored the importance of maintaining strict quality control and transparency in project execution.
Regarding the 2026 fiscal proposal, the SDGs office presented a proposed budget of ₦67.4 billion. However, the Senate committee questioned several elements of the proposal and directed the office to undertake a comprehensive review before resubmitting it for further legislative consideration.
Chairman Goje reaffirmed the committee’s resolve to uphold accountability, transparency, and the efficient use of public funds allocated for sustainable development programmes.