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Public policy think tank Agora Policy has called for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s federally funded constituency projects. It describes the current model as flawed, corruption-prone, and in need of a new legal and institutional framework.
In a policy memo released on Monday, the organisation identified systemic irregularities in how constituency projects are initiated, implemented, and monitored, warning that the scheme is increasingly distorting federal budgets and undermining transparency in public spending.
Over the years, constituency projects have come under fire for widespread corruption, lack of transparency, and poor implementation, with many either abandoned, shoddily executed, or never commenced despite receiving significant funding.
The paper, titled “Sanitising the Operations of Nigeria’s Federally Funded Constituency Projects,” was authored by Samuel Ajayi, Ayobami Ayorinde, and Oluchi Nkeonye.
According to the memo, the current model allows lawmakers to insert hundreds of projects into the national budget, often without alignment with executive priorities, needs assessments, or proper costing.
“Many of the projects are local in nature and should ordinarily fall under the purview of state and local governments,” the paper said.
Agora Policy noted that the increasing use of the scheme for small-scale projects such as boreholes, streetlights, and town halls has led to misuse of federal funds, poor execution, and, in many cases, outright abandonment.
“Some of the projects are ghost initiatives,” it said, adding that anti-corruption agencies, including the ICPC, have recovered billions of naira from fraudulent constituency projects in recent years.
The policy work also pointed to budget distortions caused by the scheme.
For instance, in the 2024 budget, some federal agencies saw their allocations skyrocket due to project insertions by lawmakers.
The Federal Cooperative College in Enugu reportedly had over ₦320 billion worth of projects attached to its name, while the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation was allocated more than ₦1 trillion, well above its operational needs.
Quoting a recent report by BudgIT, the memo revealed that lawmakers inserted ₦6.93 trillion worth of projects into the 2024 federal budget, which represents 12.per centnt of the total budget and more than half of the budget deficit.
Agora Policy also criticised the executive arm of government for enabling the practice, noting that successive presidents have either ignored the excesses or participated in them as a means to secure smooth budget passage.
Rather than calling for the abolition of constituency projects, the think tank recommended a comprehensive reform strategy anchored on accountability, transparency, and efficiency.
It proposed the creation of a unified Strategic Intervention Projects (SIPs) framework or Constituency Projects Scheme (CPS) under a designated ministry or agency.
The new scheme, Agora said, should handle the vetting of recommended projects, conduct needs assessments, cost projects appropriately, and determine implementing agencies.
It also advocated for clear guidelines on the types of projects allowed, limits on value per legislator, and rules to prevent conflicts of interest.
Additionally, the group called for robust mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation, regular audits, and public disclosure of project details, including contractors, costs, and completion status through an open-access portal.
“The issue is not with constituency projects as an idea, but with the unregulated, opaque, and chaotic way they are currently run,” Agora Policy stated.
“What Nigeria needs is a transparent, well-structured, and legally backed scheme that delivers real value to constituents.”
The organisation urged the executive arm of government to take the lead in implementing reforms and restoring credibility to Nigeria’s public finance system.
