ABUJA — Widespread public condemnation and political pushback have greeted the disclosure by civic accountability organization Tracka that the Federal Government earmarked N22.15 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for the construction, renovation, and furnishing of 106 royal palaces across Nigeria.

The findings, published by Tracka—the public project tracking arm of the BudgIT Foundation—have ignited intense scrutiny over constitutional boundaries and fiscal priorities, revealing that multibillion-naira palace allocations were routed through federal agencies lacking any statutory mandate over traditional institutions or local infrastructure.

Mismatched Mandates: Research Institutes and Colleges Tasked With Palaces

According to Tracka’s detailed review of the budget, the 106 palace projects were domiciled across 45 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Many of these entities are specialized scientific, agricultural, or educational bodies with zero operational connection to traditional governance.

The analysis revealed bizarre institutional assignments for palace procurements, including:

• Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Abuja: Earmarked N1.54 billion under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology for the modernization and furnishing of selected traditional heritage palaces.
• Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI): Allocated N3.92 billion for royal palace infrastructure.
• Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan: Earmarked N3.29 billion for palace-related works.
• Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN): Assigned N750 million for the completion and furnishing of four palaces in Kogi State.
• National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOURS): Allocated N700 million for palace and office installations in Plateau State.

Other specialized agencies named in the budget review include the Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute, National Cereals Research Institute, Industrial Arbitration Panel, and the Border Communities Development Agency.

Missing Locations and Corruption Concerns

Compounding accountability concerns, Tracka highlighted that 11 palace projects valued at N5.85 billion have no identified physical locations in the budget text. Civic monitors warned that omitting project locations makes citizen verification and public oversight virtually impossible, creating a “blank cheque” for potential diversion.

“This is not about the importance of our traditional institutions,” Tracka stated in its review. “It is about ensuring that public budgets reflect constitutional responsibilities, institutional mandates, and Nigeria’s development priorities. The Federal Budget should not become a vehicle for financing projects outside the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the institutions implementing them.”

Atiku, Political Opposition Slam Constitutional “Aberration”

The revelations have drawn fierce criticism from opposition leaders and civil society groups. Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar issued a scathing response, describing the N22.15 billion allocation as a “constitutional aberration and an instrument for official corruption”.

Atiku emphasized that under Section 2(2) and broader provisions of the 1999 Constitution, traditional institutions fall under the legal competence of state and local government chieftaincy laws, not federal line-item appropriations.

“President Tinubu swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, not to amend it through the Appropriation Act,” Atiku asserted. “A federal budget cannot lawfully be used to assume responsibilities that the Constitution has assigned elsewhere. Under which provision of the Constitution is the Federal Government appropriating N22.15 billion for 106 palaces?”

Similarly, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) condemned the expenditure as a severe misalignment of priorities at a time when millions of Nigerians face soaring food inflation, infrastructure deficits, and high living costs.

Mounting Demands for Executive and Legislative Audit

Coming alongside parallel revelations of N8.05 billion allocated for places of worship nationwide and a widening fiscal deficit of N31.45 trillion, the controversy has amplified calls for an immediate audit.

Civic organizations, anti-graft advocates, and public policy analysts are urging the Budget Office of the Federation, the National Assembly, and relevant anti-corruption bodies to immediately review the allocations, publish exact project locations, and realign funding toward critical national health, education, and security infrastructure.