A new investigative report has flagged at least 92 government projects as fraudulent under the Tinubu administration, exposing a pattern of public spending that critics say does not match the daily reality Nigerians are living with.
According to the report, the projects valued at over ₦15 billion and cut across infrastructure, social services, and development programmes. Many were found to be abandoned, grossly inflated, duplicated, or entirely unexecuted, despite being fully or substantially funded in the national budget.
The findings land at a difficult moment for Nigerians. Inflation remains high, salaries are delayed across public institutions, and strikes have disrupted schools, hospitals, and government offices. For many families, basic survival has become harder—making revelations of fake or questionable projects feel especially cruel.
Civil society groups say the issue is not just corruption in isolation, but misplaced priorities. While citizens are being asked to endure fuel subsidy removal, tax increases, and higher living costs, billions of naira meant for public good appear to have disappeared into projects that exist mostly on paper.
The report also comes amid an aggressive international image-cleaning effort by the federal government. In recent months, Nigeria hired a U.S.-based lobbying firm for $9 million to communicate its record on Christian protection and security issues to American lawmakers.
That lobbying effort has drawn criticism both abroad and at home. Some U.S. lawmakers have openly questioned the contract, while journalists and broadcasters have accused Nigerian officials of attempting to downplay or obscure serious security failures through public relations rather than concrete action.
At the same time, First Lady Remi Tinubu, who is also a serving senator, has been visible on international platforms where allies of the administration describe Nigeria as inclusive and reform-driven. Supporters cite foreign praise, including recent comments linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump, as evidence of progress.
Critics, however, argue that glowing speeches and lobbying contracts do little to address failures on the ground. They point to stalled initiatives like the federal government’s youth agriculture drive, where tractors promised to make farming attractive to young Nigerians have reportedly been left idle months after being unveiled.
For accountability advocates, the 92 flagged projects are not just numbers in a report. They represent schools not built, clinics not equipped, roads not fixed, and jobs not created. Each fraudulent project widens the gap between government promises and lived experience.
As pressure mounts, transparency groups are calling for full investigations, public naming of contractors and officials involved, and consequences that go beyond quiet reports. Without that, they warn, Nigeria risks normalising a system where hardship is real for citizens—but optional for those managing public funds.
