BudgIT, a leading budget transparency organisation in Nigeria, has uncovered 92 fraudulent projects in its 2024/2025 Tracka Report, highlighting systemic gaps between public spending and tangible development outcomes across the country.
The report monitored 2,760 projects across 28 states. Of these, 1,438 were completed, 99 abandoned, 660 in progress, 471 not done, and 92 were categorised as fraudulent. Fraudulent projects involved diversion of funds, incomplete works, reallocation of previously funded projects, and poor execution. Imo, Lagos, Kwara, Abia, and Ogun states accounted for 57.1 percent of these projects, representing ?8.61 billion out of ?15.07 billion disbursed.
Tracka focused on strategic infrastructure including dam projects, revitalised primary healthcare centres, and federally funded projects in the Niger Delta. Dam projects across 13 states worth ?432 million were critically assessed, with none completed at the time of reporting, four abandoned, six progressing slowly, and six yet to start. In healthcare, 26 out of 47 centres tracked showed improvements, 12 were under renovation, eight showed no intervention, and one was abandoned. In the Niger Delta, 29 of 48 projects were completed, while 13 had not started, four were ongoing, and two were untraceable.
Despite the challenges, the report highlighted 15 success stories driven by citizen engagement, including rehabilitation of schools and healthcare centres, empowerment programs for persons with disabilities, erosion control initiatives, and clean water access projects.
Joshua Osiyemi, Head of Tracka, stressed the need for citizen oversight, urging Nigerians to monitor projects and hold governments accountable. He called on federal and state authorities to publish project details, ensure timely fund disbursement, strengthen supervision, and prioritise projects with social impact.
The 2024/2025 Tracka Report underscores that without accountability, public resources are wasted, but active citizen engagement can ensure projects deliver measurable benefits, improving service delivery and quality of life across Nigerian communities.
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