ABUJA — A staggering disparity in the 2025 fiscal performance of the President Bola Tinubu administration has ignited a fresh wave of public fury, as emerging data reveals a government prioritizing luxury SUVs for officials over the nation’s crumbling transportation infrastructure.
During a 2026 budget defense session at the National Assembly on Wednesday, February 18, the Minister of Transportation, Saidu Ahmed Alkali, dropped a bombshell: of the ₦256.73 billion allocated for capital projects in 2025, the ministry received a paltry ₦2.57 billion—a mere 1% of its budget.
The “One Percent” Ministry
The revelation has left lawmakers and economic analysts reeling. The Ministry of Transportation, tasked with maintaining Nigeria’s rail lines and inland waterways, was effectively grounded for the entire year. Minister Alkali admitted that because of the 99% funding gap, nearly 70% of the ministry’s planned projects for 2025 have had to be rolled over into the 2026 proposal.
“We were allocated over ₦256 billion, but only ₦2.57 billion was released, and even that lacked full cash backing,” the Minister lamented. “It is impossible to build a modern transport system on 1% of a budget.”
The ₦66 Billion Contrast
While the ministry responsible for the movement of 200 million Nigerians was starved of funds, the Presidency and the State House reportedly faced no such “liquidity issues” when it came to their motor pools.
Reports and social media activists have highlighted that the government successfully spent or committed over ₦66.36 billion for the procurement and maintenance of official vehicles for the State House and high-ranking aides in 2025. This figure includes a ₦4.76 billion allocation for luxury SUVs and an additional ₦2 billion for the “special vehicles” of the Ministry of Works’ aides.
“Renewed Hopelessness”—Nigerians Blast the Disparity
The contrast between the 1% release for public transport and the billions spent on executive comfort has triggered a firestorm of criticism across the country. Nigerians, currently battling record-high fuel prices and a collapsing rail service, have blasted the administration for being “dangerously out of touch.”
- “Prioritizing Convoy over Commuters”: “How can a government spend ₦66 billion on cars for a few people while the entire transport ministry gets ₦2.5 billion?” queried Chima Obi, a regular commuter on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. “It shows they don’t care if we walk or die on the roads as long as their AC is working in their SUVs.”
- “A Budget of Deception”:Â Critics on X (formerly Twitter) have labeled the 2025 budget a “fraudulent document.” “They pass big numbers in the National Assembly to look good on paper, but in reality, they only release money for their own comfort,” one viral post read. “This is not ‘Renewed Hope’; it is ‘Renewed Greed’.”
- Economic Sabotage:Â Financial analysts argue that starving the transport sector is a form of “economic suicide.” “Transport is the backbone of any economy. When you fund it at 1%, you are directly causing the inflation we see in food prices,” noted an Abuja-based economist.
The 2026 Uncertainty
As the 2026 budget debate heats up, the Ministry of Transportation is once again asking for hundreds of billions. However, given the 2025 track record, many are asking if these figures are merely “placeholders” while the real cash is diverted to the luxury needs of the political elite.
With the Electoral Act now signed into law, many believe the government is more focused on the “logistics of 2027” than the logistics of moving Nigerian citizens in 2026.
