The Federal Government has proposed more than ₦22.15 billion in the 2026 budget for the construction, renovation and furnishing of 106 traditional rulers’ palaces, a move that has sparked debate over public spending priorities and accountability.
The Federal Government has earmarked ₦22.15 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act for the construction, renovation and furnishing of traditional rulers’ palaces across Nigeria.
The allocations, identified in an analysis of the approved budget by civic technology platform Tracka, cover 106 palace-related projects spread across dozens of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The findings have renewed public scrutiny of constituency-style projects and budget allocations that appear unrelated to the core mandates of some implementing agencies.
106 Palace Projects Across Multiple MDAs
According to the budget review, the palace projects are distributed among 45 federal MDAs, with allocations covering new palace construction, renovation, furnishing and, in some cases, installation of solar power systems.
Tracka noted that several of the implementing agencies—including research institutes and specialised government establishments—do not ordinarily have statutory responsibilities relating to traditional institutions or palace construction.
The civic organisation also raised concerns that 11 palace projects worth about ₦5.85 billion have no clearly identified locations in the budget documents, making independent monitoring and project verification difficult.
Accountability Questions Raised
Tracka said its concern was not about the importance of traditional institutions but about ensuring that public expenditure aligns with constitutional responsibilities, agency mandates and national development priorities.
The organisation argued that projects without identifiable locations or implementing details reduce transparency and make effective public oversight more difficult.
Budget transparency advocates have repeatedly called for clearer descriptions of projects funded through the federal budget to enable citizens and oversight bodies to track implementation.
Presidency Yet to Respond to Specific Claims
As of the time of reporting, the Presidency had not publicly responded to the specific concerns raised by Tracka regarding the palace allocations.
However, President Bola Tinubu has consistently maintained that the 2026 budget prioritises fiscal discipline, infrastructure development, economic growth and improved budget implementation.
The 2026 Appropriation Act provides for significant capital expenditure across multiple sectors, with the administration saying it is committed to transparency and value for money in project execution.
Traditional rulers play important cultural and advisory roles in many Nigerian communities but are recognised primarily under state laws rather than as a constitutionally recognised tier of government.
In previous years, federal budgets have also included allocations for palace construction and renovation through various MDAs, a practice that has periodically attracted criticism from civil society organisations and budget monitoring groups.