The Federal Government has come under fire following revelations that ₦8.05 billion was earmarked for the construction, renovation, and equipping of churches and mosques in the 2026 budget.
The allocation, uncovered by public accountability organisation Tracka, shows that ₦1.91 billion was set aside for seven church-related projects, while ₦6.14 billion was budgeted for 52 mosque projects across the country.
The budget includes funding for the construction and renovation of worship centres, solar power installations, boreholes, musical equipment for churches, carpets, Islamiyya schools, imam houses, and other religious facilities.
Some of the projects are assigned to government agencies whose mandates are unrelated to religious affairs, a development that has raised concerns over transparency and budget implementation.
The disclosure has sparked widespread criticism, coming at a time Nigeria is battling a widening fiscal deficit, rising public debt, inflation, and funding shortages in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, roads, and water supply.
Tracka questioned whether public funds should be used for religious projects while many communities still lack basic infrastructure and essential services.
The organisation argued that every naira spent, especially borrowed funds, should deliver measurable public value.
Public policy analysts also faulted the allocations, saying borrowing to finance projects with little or no direct economic return is difficult to justify.
Critics further warned that placing religious projects under unrelated ministries and agencies could weaken accountability and increase the risk of political patronage.
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