Ex-Air Force Spokesperson Critiques Nigeria’s Defence Budget Structure
Retired official argues poor planning, not funding, undermines national security operations.
1Structural Budgetary Flaws
Retired Group Captain Sadeeq Shehu argues that Nigeria’s defence sector suffers from poor governance rather than insufficient funding. Despite substantial allocations, the military struggles to translate expenditure into operational capacity. He suggests that the current fiscal framework fails to address critical security threats like insurgency and banditry effectively across the nation.
2Personnel Cost Dominance
The 2026 defence budget allocates N3.154 trillion, with personnel costs consuming N2.4 trillion, or 75.9 percent of the total. Overhead expenditure accounts for only 9.4 percent, leaving a minimal portion for essential military requirements. This heavy imbalance severely limits the funds available for modernising equipment and maintaining existing military platforms.
3Obscured Expenditure Categories
Shehu criticizes the current practice of grouping spending into only three subheads: personnel, overhead, and capital costs. This broad classification obscures the actual funding dedicated to specific needs like equipment procurement, training, and infrastructure. Without granular detail, it remains impossible to identify operational gaps or prioritize urgent military requirements effectively.
4Oversight Capacity Concerns
The former spokesperson questions the ability of the presidency and the National Assembly to conduct meaningful oversight. He asserts that these bodies lack a clear picture of the defence budget due to its opaque structure. Consequently, lawmakers cannot ensure that allocations align with the actual security priorities facing the Nigerian state.
5Global Best Practice Gap
Global standards emphasize detailed budgeting to reveal specific resource allocation for research, maintenance, and training. Nigeria currently allocates less than 25 percent of its defence budget to these vital areas combined. Shehu warns that this approach leaves essential requirements unfunded while directing scarce resources toward less critical areas of operation.
6Governance Over Spending
Increasing military expenditure will not resolve security challenges if the underlying planning remains flawed. Shehu maintains that Nigeria is spending a reasonable proportion of its national earnings on defence, but the money is not being utilized correctly. Improving planning and governance is essential to achieving a more capable and responsive military.
7Impact on Security Operations
The disconnect between budget allocation and operational needs directly impacts the military's ability to combat violent crime. By prioritizing personnel costs over equipment and training, the government inadvertently weakens its own security apparatus. This structural issue persists despite the ongoing national struggle against various forms of insurgency and internal instability.
8Path Toward Reform
Future security improvements depend on a fundamental shift in how the government structures its defence spending. Detailed classification and rigorous legislative scrutiny are necessary to transform the current system. Without these reforms, Nigeria risks continuing a cycle of high spending that fails to deliver the necessary capacity to protect its citizens.