Public finance advocates and journalists have called on Nigerian governments to provide detailed information on the allocation, release, and utilisation of disability-related funds, warning that publishing budgetary figures without accessible implementation records makes it hard for citizens to determine whether intended beneficiaries are receiving support.
Stakeholders made the call during an X Space organised by PWDSpotlight in collaboration with BOFIM and BO News on October 31, 2026, where they examined Nigeria’s 2026 disability-related budget and discussed mechanisms for monitoring public expenditure.
Oluwatimilehin Olugbemi, representing Open Government and Institutional Partnership (OGIP) at BudgIT, said government transparency should go beyond announcing the amounts approved for projects.
She argued that Nigerians should be able to follow public funds from the point of allocation to actual expenditure and determine whether the expected outcomes have been achieved.
Using examples from the 2026 Appropriation Act, Olugbemi highlighted several budgetary provisions whose descriptions, she said, did not provide sufficient information to establish how much was specifically intended for persons with disabilities.
One of the examples was a ₦250 million allocation for vulnerable persons, widows, persons with disabilities and elderly people across Osun State senatorial districts.
She also referenced a ₦100 million provision for women, youths and persons with disabilities in Oluyole, arguing that government should clarify how much was intended for each beneficiary category, the criteria for selecting beneficiaries and the number of people expected to benefit.
According to her, where several groups are included under one budget line, the absence of a clear breakdown makes it difficult to determine the actual financial commitment to disability inclusion.
She also called for detailed descriptions of projects and measurable deliverables.
For example, she cited a ₦140 million allocation for relief materials in Ikeja Federal Constituency, arguing that government should disclose the specific materials to be purchased, their quantities, the number of intended beneficiaries, and the criteria for distribution.
Similarly, she referenced a ₦105 million allocation for a skills acquisition programme in Abakaliki, Izzi Local Government Area, saying the public should know the skills to be taught, the duration of training, the number of participants, the training provider and the support available to participants after completing the programme.
Olugbemi further highlighted a ₦175 million provision for the renovation of an ECN building, noting that the government should publish the scope of work, accessibility features, technical standards and expected completion dates.
She identified the publication of actual fund releases and expenditure records as another essential accountability measure.
According to her, government institutions should disclose how much of each approved allocation has been released, when the money was released, how much has been spent and the remaining balance.
She also stressed the importance of linking budget lines to identifiable project codes to make it easier for citizens and journalists to trace allocations across government documents.
Procurement records, she added, are particularly important because they reveal the contractors responsible for executing projects, the value of contracts, the expected deliverables and the timelines for completion.
She urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to procurement portals and Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) platforms, where relevant procurement information can be accessed.
Beyond financial records, Olugbemi called for the publication of beneficiary and outcome information, including the number of persons with disabilities reached, their geographical distribution and the nature of support provided.
She, however, cautioned that such information should be published in aggregated form to protect beneficiaries’ personal data.
Responding to the implications for journalism, Blessing Oladunjoye of BOFIM and BO News said journalists investigating disability-related expenditure should begin with budget implementation reports to establish what was approved, what was released and what was actually spent.
She encouraged reporters to compare previous allocations with current provisions and investigate why certain interventions remain unimplemented despite repeated government commitments.
Oladunjoye also urged journalists to examine the actual distribution of assistive devices, including wheelchairs, eyeglasses and guide canes, rather than relying solely on official announcements.
She questioned situations where government agencies announce large-scale distributions without sufficient evidence to establish the number of people who actually received the items.
Dr Adebukola Adebayo, a disability-inclusive development specialist, expanded the discussion by urging journalists to investigate the quality of materials procured and whether they meet the needs of intended beneficiaries.
Drawing from his experience serving on the board of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs between 2016 and 2019, he recalled an instance in which a supplier presented a fairly used vehicle under a procurement arrangement. According to him, the vehicle was rejected, and the matter was reported to the state government.
He warned that procurement irregularities and poor-quality assistive devices could worsen the living conditions of persons with disabilities rather than improve them.
Adebayo also argued that persons with disabilities should not be regarded only as beneficiaries of government interventions but should participate as contractors, suppliers, consultants and decision-makers in the procurement and implementation process.
He stressed that accessibility standards must be observed in the construction of ramps, procurement of elevators and acquisition of public vehicles, including compressed natural gas buses.
For journalists, he recommended moving beyond the examination of budget figures to investigate procurement procedures, product specifications, quality standards and the actual accessibility of completed infrastructure.
He further cautioned against reporting disability through a charity or pity-based framework, urging journalists to understand it as a human rights and development issue.
The speakers agreed that public accountability requires cooperation between journalists, civil society organisations, disability-focused groups and citizens.
Olugbemi maintained that a budget represents a public commitment and that Nigerians should be able to see tangible results from government expenditure.
