The Digest:
The Federal Government has allocated a total of N38.188 billion over 22 years for the entitlements of former presidents, heads of state, vice presidents, and chiefs of general staff. Budget records from 2005 to 2026 show annual allocations rising from N140 million to a steady N2.3 billion since 2013. The expenditure covers pensions, allowances, security, medical care, vehicles, and other constitutionally approved benefits for former leaders, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Ibrahim Babangida, Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and their deputies.
Key Points:
- The sustained allocation raises questions about fiscal priorities amid widespread public needs in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
- It reflects a fixed recurrent expenditure that reduces funds available for developmental projects and social programs.
- The policy benefits a small political class, often perceived as reinforcing an elite welfare system disconnected from everyday economic struggles.
- The legal framework, adapted from U.S. practice, shows how post-tenure benefits become institutionalized regardless of changing economic realities.
- The timing of this disclosure may intensify public debate over governance costs, especially amid current economic reforms and austerity measures.
The continuation of these allocations will likely remain a point of public and legislative scrutiny as Nigeria balances entitlement commitments with pressing national needs.
Sources: Vanguard News, Punch News
