The civic tech organization BudgIT has released a damning report identifying 92 instances of fraudulent project execution across Nigeria's federal budget. Ninety-two projects that were budgeted for, funded, and reported as "completed"—but which do not exist in reality.
Let that sink in. Ninety-two phantom projects. Roads that were never paved. Hospitals that were never built. Bridges that connect nothing to nowhere. Water systems that supply nothing to nobody.
This is the anatomy of how Nigeria's ruling class steals from its own people: 1. A project is inserted into the budget, often through constituency project allocations. 2. Funds are released to a contractor—usually a company linked to the sponsoring legislator or minister. 3. The project is "executed" on paper. Completion certificates are issued. Photos are staged. 4. The money disappears into private accounts, offshore vehicles, and luxury real estate. 5. The community that was supposed to benefit continues to suffer.
And what happens when the fraud is exposed? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No prosecution. No recovery. No accountability. The officials responsible are rewarded with higher offices, traditional titles, and the respect of a society that has been conditioned to worship wealth regardless of its source.
The NLM has obtained and is reviewing BudgIT's full findings. We will be publishing a detailed breakdown of each fraudulent project, the officials responsible, and the communities that were cheated.
The NLM demands: - Immediate investigation and prosecution of all officials connected to the 92 fraudulent projects. - Full recovery of stolen funds, with proceeds directed to actually building the projects that communities were promised. - The establishment of a citizens' project monitoring platform where communities can report and verify project execution in real time. - Mandatory disclosure of beneficial ownership for all companies awarded government contracts.
They tell you to "tighten your belt." They tell you to "make sacrifices." They tell you the fuel subsidy had to go because the country was broke. And while you sacrifice, they steal ₦billions through phantom projects.
The NLM says: enough. The time for accountability is now.
