Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal Government’s alleged appropriation of ₦8.05 billion for the construction and renovation of churches and mosques in the proposed 2026 budget has sparked widespread debate, with opposition figures, civil society groups and policy analysts raising concerns over transparency and spending priorities.
CDA News Nigeria reports that the controversy followed reports that the budget contains allocations of about ₦6.14 billion for mosque-related projects and ₦1.91 billion for church-related projects.
ADC Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar questioned the appropriateness of the spending, arguing that while religion is important, public funds should be managed transparently. He called on the government to publish the names of beneficiary institutions, project locations and implementing agencies.
“If these appropriations are genuine, the Presidency should immediately publish the names of every beneficiary institution, every project location, every implementing agency and the legal basis for the allocations,” Atiku said.
Some policy experts described the allocations as a misplaced priority amid Nigeria’s economic challenges, while the Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) argued that the spending represents only a small fraction of the proposed budget and that greater attention should be paid to the country’s fiscal deficit and rising debt burden.
The controversy is expected to remain a subject of public debate as lawmakers continue deliberations on the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
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