Senator Abaribe Slams Federal Government Over Budget Execution, Unpaid Contractors and Economic Mismanagement

 

Abuja, Nigeria — Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South Senatorial District, has renewed sharp criticism of the federal government’s handling of the 2025 budget, saying the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed to complete even a third of its budget implementation and neglected critical fiscal obligations, including payments to contractors.

Senator Abaribe — a vocal opponent of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) — said at a recent session that many Nigerians are left questioning “where all the money the government says it has collected, borrowed or raised in taxes has gone.” His remarks come amid growing frustration among lawmakers and civil society over slow capital releases, revenue shortfalls, and stalled projects.

Budget Shortfalls and Slow Capital Releases

Official scrutiny of Nigeria’s fiscal performance shows that the federal government acknowledged a significant revenue shortfall in 2025, leaving actual receipts far below projections and constraining the implementation of capital projects. According to figures presented to the Senate, only about 30 per cent of the 2025 budget could be funded due to a ₦30 trillion revenue gap — forcing many capital projects to be carried into the next budget year.

The shortfall has compounded frustrations from contractors and local businesses, as many firms that executed federal projects under the 2024 budget are still owed billions of naira. In September 2025, local contractors under the All-Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria protested in Abuja over roughly ₦4 trillion in unpaid capital project arrears executed the prior year.

Lawmakers and Public Outcry

Beyond financing concerns, lawmakers have repeatedly raised alarms over poor budget execution. In the House of Representatives, members recently grilled the finance and budget teams for the zero releases to capital projects despite apparent revenue inflows in 2025 — a situation critics say has grounded essential infrastructure and services.

On the Senate floor, multiple senators, including Abaribe’s colleagues, have described budget performance as “unacceptable,” urging greater transparency and accountability. Some have also raised questions about internal revenue remittances, abandoned contracts, and persistent delays in disbursements that cripple government ministries and agencies.

While specific statements attributing the government’s focus to “city boys” rather than fundamental governance tasks have circulated widely on social media, the broader themes of budget under-execution, unpaid contractors, and alleged fiscal mismanagement reflect ongoing national debate among legislators and citizens alike. (Circulation of exact quotes online has not been independently confirmed by major news outlets at this time.)

Government Response and Context

Government officials acknowledge challenges in revenue performance and fund releases, pointing to structural constraints, global economic pressures and efforts to strengthen fiscal systems. However, critics argue that rhetoric without tangible improvements in budget execution only deepens public distrust and economic hardship.

Observers say that if current trends persist — with low capital budget implementation and widening debt obligations — pressure will mount on policymakers ahead of the next fiscal cycle and the 2027 general elections.