The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has accused the northern region of being marginalized in federal budget allocations and infrastructure development under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, Bashir Dalhatu, made this assertion during a presentation at a two-day interactive session focused on government-citizen engagement, organized by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna state. He stated that the north has been excluded from significant policy decisions an
d project implementations, despite the region’s substantial support for President Tinubu in the 2023 general elections.
To highlight the marginalization of Northern Nigeria by the Tinubu administration, the ACF leader referenced federal budget figures indicating that out of the N1.013 trillion allocated for road projects in the 2025 budget, only N24 billion, which is less than one percent, was designated for road projects in the Northeast.
“In addition to its inherent disadvantages, Northern Nigeria has also been subjected to long-standing neglect by the federal government concerning the development of transportation infrastructure in the country.
“Unlike the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge, not a single road of strategic importance to the North has been completed or adequately maintained in the past twenty years. For instance, this year’s federal budget for roads amounts to N1.013 trillion. However, only a paltry N24 billion (or less than 1%) has been allocated to projects in the Northeast. It is crucial to draw the President’s attention to the need to initiate, resume, accelerate, or finalize the construction of major roads that hold significant strategic importance for Northern Nigeria, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Ilorin-Jebba-Tegina-B/Gwari-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene-Auchi, Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto-Ilela, Keffi-Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Yola, Calabar-Ogoja-Wukari-Numan-Biu-Maiduguri, and Wudil-Kafin Hausa-Katagum-Potiskum roads, among others.
Citing a press release from the federal Ministry of Works dated May 2025, the ACF leader expressed his discontent regarding the regional distribution of budget allocations, which he observed to be biased against Northern Nigeria.
“Evidence of this unfortunate situation is prevalent everywhere; however, I will reference the press statement released by the Federal Ministry of Works on May 5, 2025: Southwest – N1.394 trillion, Southeast – N205 billion, Northwest – N105 billion, Northeast – N30 billion.
“Regrettably, this discriminatory practice is no longer concealed; rather, it is presented openly and unapologetically in front of us.”
The ACF leader further condemned the federal government’s inadequate funding for agriculture, despite Northern Nigeria’s critical role as the nation’s food basket.
“The Northern states account for over 75% of Nigeria’s landmass and possess 95% of the livestock industry. The neglect of agriculture, one of the key sectors in the economy, raises significant concerns in the North. Despite the seemingly positive intentions of the Tinubu administration, the federal government’s allocation to agriculture over the past two years has remained below 5% of the total budget, while the FAO recommends a minimum of 25%.
“The federal budget allocation for agriculture and food security should be increased to at least 20% of the total budget.
“By doing so, the government could enhance its support for farmers. The current initiative of providing tractors and other mechanical equipment to farmers at subsidized prices exemplifies a beneficial and constructive policy.
