The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday criticised the Federal Government’s envelope budgeting system, describing it as inadequate to address the country’s escalating security challenges despite the declaration of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu.
The criticism came during the 2026 budget defence session of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja, where lawmakers raised concerns over funding gaps, delayed releases, and unimplemented capital projects.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, said the current envelope budgeting framework, which sets fixed expenditure ceilings for ministries, departments, and agencies, has consistently failed to meet the operational demands of Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies.
He cited insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West and North-Central, separatist tensions in the South-East, and oil theft and piracy in the Niger Delta as areas requiring flexible funding.
“The envelope budgeting system is not sufficient to address the magnitude of security threats confronting the nation,” Abdullahi said. “Security agencies cannot operate optimally under financial constraints and delayed releases.”
He lamented that inadequate and delayed capital allocations in previous budgets had weakened security operations, leaving several critical projects partially implemented or unexecuted.
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Permanent Secretary, Special Services, ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, corroborated the committee’s concerns, highlighting irregular overhead releases and non-implementation of capital appropriations as major impediments to effective coordination and operations.
He stressed that security management requires a dynamic funding mechanism to respond quickly to emerging threats and intelligence-driven operations.
Senators warned that the declaration of a national emergency on security should trigger exceptional funding measures rather than routine fiscal controls, emphasizing that a mismatch between resources and on-ground threats could undermine public confidence and embolden criminal networks.
The committee assured ONSA of stronger legislative support and hinted at potential reforms to grant security agencies greater flexibility in accessing and utilising funds.
Following the open session, lawmakers moved into a closed-door meeting to scrutinise sensitive budget proposals, including classified expenditure lines.
The Senate’s review is expected to influence the funding structure for Nigeria’s security institutions in the 2026 budget, balancing fiscal discipline with the urgent need to restore peace and stability across the country.