PRESIDENTIAL PANELS ACCUMULATE N13BN EXPENDITURE

By: Balogun Ibrahim

Since taking office in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have inaugurated at least 46 committees, with budget allocations and recorded expenditures on these panels exceeding N13bn in under three years.

An analysis of budget documents from 2023 to 2026, along with government payment data obtained from GovSpend, shows that N12.99bn was allocated for the operation of long-standing presidential committees, while at least N105.97m in traceable payments went to individuals and companies servicing specific ad hoc panels.

The total of N13.1bn accounts for roughly 62 per cent of the N21.17bn spent over seven years (2018–2025) under the previous administration, according to a review by The PUNCH.

During the period under review, committee-related spending averaged N4.37bn per year, notably higher than the N3bn annual average recorded between 2018 and 2022 under the former administration.

The data indicates that the majority of committees established during the Tinubu administration are special-purpose or ad hoc panels created to tackle specific policy issues with set durations.

The remainder are long-standing statutory committees, supported by permanent secretariats and receiving regular annual budget allocations.

Budget records show steady yearly funding for these enduring presidential committees under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

In 2023, the Presidency earmarked N3.73bn for various committees, covering Political Officers and Standing Committees, the Presidential Advisory Committee, the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, the Presidential Standing Committee on Private Jetties, and the Presidential Standing Committee on Inventions and Innovations.

In 2024, total allocations fell to N2.96bn, broken down as N2.58bn for Political Officers and Standing Committees, N50m for the Private Jetties Committee, N89.29m for Inventions and Innovations, N10.73m for the Advisory Committee, N221.3m for the Land Reforms Committee, and N9.8m for the Prerogative of Mercy Committee.

The 2025 appropriation increased to N3.24bn, with the Land Reforms Committee receiving N478.45m, more than double its 2024 allocation. Other allocations included N2.58bn for Political Officers and Standing Committees, N65m for Private Jetties, N89.29m for Inventions and Innovations, N15.38m for the Advisory Committee, and N8m for the Prerogative of Mercy Committee.

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In 2026, the allocation totalled N3.06bn, comprising N2.58bn for Political Officers and Standing Committees, N418m for the Land Reforms Committee, N45.5m for Private Jetties, and N15.37m for the Advisory Committee.

Beyond budget allocations, GovSpend data shows six specific payments for the operations of ad hoc presidential committees between May 2023 and December 2025, totaling N105.97m.

The earliest recorded payments, both dated May 31, 2023, just weeks after President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration, included N46.64m to Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited and N21.72m to Good News Creative Ideas Limited, both listed as consultant fees for the Presidential Committee on Salaries reviewing the 2014 and 2012 white paper reports.

On December 26, 2023, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation disbursed N5.02m to a project accountant for toners, office supplies, and photocopying services to support the Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractices in carrying out its mandate.

Four days later, on December 30, 2023, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure paid N19m to Muhammed Salisu as honorarium for members of the Presidential Committee on the Transfer of Technology.

On March 15, 2024, the Federal Ministry of Justice disbursed N7.52m to Charvid Digital Printing Press Limited for printing reports of an unnamed presidential committee, following approval by the SGF on February 26, 2024.

On December 31, 2025, N6.07m was paid to Francis Emmanuel Ukpong, a project accountant for the Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractices, covering administrative and operational expenses.

These figures reflect only payments traceable through the government’s official payment system.

Since taking office on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have relied on committees as a primary governance tool to address nearly every major policy challenge.

On June 19, 2023, just three weeks into his tenure, President Bola Tinubu constituted a steering committee to address organised labour’s concerns following the sudden removal of petrol subsidies. The committee was tasked with producing a workable framework within eight weeks.

On July 7, 2023, the President established the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, appointing former PwC partner Taiwo Oyedele as chairman; the committee was formally inaugurated in August.

That same month, the Federal Government also set up the Presidential Steering Committee on Palliatives to prevent a potential nationwide labour crisis.

On September 14, 2023, Tinubu created the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms, which ultimately paved the way for the establishment of a new Ministry of Livestock Development.

On October 10, 2023, he launched the Presidential Committee on Flood Mitigation, Adaptation, Preparedness and Response, directing immediate measures to address nationwide flooding. Then-Yahaya Bello chaired the committee, which submitted its roadmap on November 23.

Six days later, the Federal Executive Council, chaired by the President, created the Presidential Council on Industrial Revitalisation Roadmap, with Tinubu serving as chairperson.

On November 1, 2023, following a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council, President Bola Tinubu established a special committee to review constitutional gaps and improve coordination and technological resources for the police.

A week later, he inaugurated the National Coordination Committee on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System alongside the National Geospatial Data Repository.

On November 10, 2023, Vice President Kashim Shettima set up an ad hoc committee to harmonise Nigeria’s agenda for the COP28 Climate Change Conference in the United Arab Emirates. Ten days later, he established a multi-sectoral committee to advance the Federal Government’s Human Capital Development programme, inaugurated in May 2024.

On December 21, 2023, the National Economic Council created two committees on Economic Affairs and Crude Oil Theft and Management, headed by AbdulRahman AbdulRazak and Hope Uzodimma, respectively.

In 2024, the administration launched at least 25 more committees covering sectors including steel development, school feeding, social investment programmes, explosives regulation, minimum wage negotiations, emergency food intervention, farmer-herder clashes, state police, agricultural credit, flood prevention, economic coordination, the Oronsaye report, consumer credit, youth development, ambassadorial nominations, the National Single Window Project, CNG adoption, cholera response, sanitation campaigns, poliovirus eradication, dam integrity, minors’ detention, and electricity reform.

The momentum continued in 2025, with committees formed on economic and financial inclusion (February), digital public infrastructure (May), the Museum of West African Art dispute (November), and APC conflict resolution ahead of the 2027 elections (December).

The Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms delivered a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system, resulting in four Tax Reform Acts signed into law in 2025. The Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage developed the new wage framework eventually adopted, while the committee on state police produced the framework that enabled legislative action on the issue.

Critics, however, argue that the proliferation of committees has become an expensive form of political patronage.

“I think it is all about political patronage because none of the committees has led to anything significant,” said Deji Adeyanju, a sociopolitical activist and former leader of the Concerned Nigerians Advocacy Group, in an interview with The Media. “There’s always this policy flip-flop. That is money down the drain in several committees like that.”

As of press time, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had not responded to queries on the matter.