ABUJA, August 5, 2025 — The Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, has disclosed that over half of the capital budget allocations for 2024 and 2025 are directed towards projects and programmes in Northern Nigeria, countering recent claims of regional marginalisation.
Yakubu’s remarks come in response to criticisms from prominent northern leaders, including Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State; Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); and Bashir Dalhatu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). They had accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of sidelining the North in infrastructure and development initiatives.
Describing such claims as “unfounded” and politically motivated, Yakubu stated that the Tinubu administration is actively mobilising resources to promote balanced regional development and national cohesion.
“Contrary to politically motivated narratives, Northern Nigeria is not on the margins. It is at the heart of federal investment priorities,” Yakubu asserted.
He explained that more than 50 percent of the capital budget for the two fiscal years is linked to northern-based projects, especially when major national trunk infrastructure and water resource investments are factored in.
Among the flagship projects he cited are:
- The dualisation of the Abuja–Kano expressway
- The ₦12.1 trillion Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, a 1,068-kilometre trans-regional road project, with ₦3.63 trillion already approved for phases in Sokoto and Kebbi states
- The Kano–Maradi Standard Gauge Railway
- The Zungeru–Kano power transmission line
- Airport runway expansions in Katsina, Maiduguri, and Kaduna
Additionally, Yakubu highlighted the development of inland dry ports in Funtua (Katsina) and Bauchi, aimed at boosting agro-export capacity and improving logistics infrastructure.
On water resource management, he noted that “unprecedented funding” has been directed to river basin development authorities, focusing on irrigation, flood control, and rural livelihood programmes in basins like Sokoto-Rima and Upper Benue.
Yakubu also emphasised the government’s intensified focus on security in the region. Over ₦60 billion has been allocated through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to support the rebuilding of schools, markets, and farmlands in conflict-affected communities.
He listed increased funding for military operations such as Operation Hadarin Daji, Operation Whirl Stroke, and Whirl Punch in the North-West and North-Central zones as further evidence of the administration’s commitment to restoring peace and stability.
In terms of social protection, Yakubu revealed that over 60% of the 12 million households benefiting from the federal Conditional Cash Transfer Programme are located in the northern states — a testament, he said, to the government’s inclusive approach to economic relief and social welfare.
The DG concluded by reaffirming the Tinubu administration’s commitment to ensuring equity and inclusivity in the national budgeting process, dismissing regional neglect claims as misinformed.
