The Federal Accounts Allocations Committee (FAAC) has so far distributed the sum of N25.577 trillion among the three tiers of government from June 2023 to June 2025, Blueprint can authoritatively reveal.
Of that amount, the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) got the sum of N13.8 trillion.
A breakdown of the allocation showed that between June 2023 and December 2023, the national and sub-nationals received the sum of N4.009. 891trillion.
A further breakdown showed that in June 2023, the sum of N907.054 billion was shared by the three tiers of government, N966.110 billion shared in July while the allocation rose to N1.110 trillion in August.
The amount dropped to N903.480 billion in September and rose marginally to N906.955 billion in October, as the sum of N1.088.783 trillion and N1.127.408 trillion was shared in November and December, respectively.
Between January and December of 2024, the sum of N13.129 trillion was distributed to the three levels of government.
Of that amount, FAAC disbursement to the States and the Federal Capital Territory increased substantially, reaching about N5.38 trillion. This was largely driven by improved revenue performance, including removal of fuel subsidies and better oil and non-oil earnings.
The first six months of 2025 was not different, with the FAAC disbursing the sum of N8.439 trillion to the Federal, States and Local Governments. Out of that amount, the States and the FCT got the sum of N2.272, 447 trillion.
…‘More money, less development’
In spite of increased FAAC allocation to the sub-national government, experts say, not much is happening in terms of infrastructure development as, according to them, States continue to engage in frivolities.
In 2023 alone, checks by this newspaper showed that Delta received the highest share among states, totalling N483.57 billion, followed by Rivers (N426.84billion), Akwa Ibom (N380.1billion), Lagos (N371.39billion) and Bayelsa (N268.34billion).
For the year 2024, Delta again recorded the highest allocation with about N485 billion, ahead of Rivers (N384 billion), Akwa Ibom (N338 billion), Lagos (N321 billion), and Bayelsa (N293 billion).
These top five states were prominently among leading FAAC recipients, reflecting their oil-producing status and economic significance.
Nasarawa, Ekiti, Ebonyi, and Gombe States had the lowest allocations of N108.3 billion, N107.5 billion, N107 billion, and N99.05 billion respectively in 2024.
In the first six months of 2025, Ekiti, Ebonyi, and Nasarawa States received some of the lowest allocations of around N16.95 billion, N16.84 billion, and N16.71 billion, respectively.
…Alleged reckless spending
In their interventions, development and economic analysts said despite increases in statutory allocations to states, there had been little noticeable improvement in living standards, infrastructure, or public services.
They noted that governors rather than carry out genuine developmental projects that would benefit the populace, use the funds for political patronage, contracts, and personal or party interests.
According to them, issues of unpaid workers’ salaries, pension backlogs, poor road infrastructure, insecurity, and high unemployment continue to persist in the states despite increased funding from the FAAC.
In a chat with Blueprint, a public affairs analyst, Sanya Adejokun, said the governors have been reckless in how they spend the monthly FAAC allocation.
He noted that lack of citizens’ participation in governance had emboldened the governors as no one holds them to account.
Adejokun said: “This question is a testimony that democracy is yet to take root in our country 26 years into the Fourth Republic. It means that citizens are not fully participating in governance and civil society organisations are not well rooted. It also shows that despite having specialised law enforcement agencies tackling corruption, they are less than effective in their activities.
When asked if President Tinubu could have created a special purpose vehicle that could have efficiently utilised the subsidy funds, Adejokun insisted that it would have amounted to illegality on the part of the federal government.
According to him, the president can only get the governors’ approval before such an action can be taken.
