On average, 47% of Nigeria's annual capital expenditure is spent on economic service projects

Key takeaways:

  • Economic services still receive the largest share of capital expenditure (47% on average), which has declined over time, raising concerns about long-term infrastructure development.
  • Spending on administration has risen, now accounting for a quarter of total capital expenditure (25%), highlighting a stronger focus on governance and institutional processes.
  • Social community services (such as education and healthcare) have seen growth in allocation, reaching around 12-19% in recent years, signalling a shift toward social development.
  • Transfers, which are funds allocated to specific entities or programmes, have fluctuated but occasionally spiked.

Capital expenditure is the backbone of a nation’s long-term development, shaping infrastructure, economic growth, and social well-being. In Nigeria, nearly half (47%) of federal capital expenditure is allocated to economic services, reinforcing the government's focus on transportation, agriculture, and power. However, the distribution of funds has shifted significantly over the years, revealing intriguing patterns in national priorities.
A closer look at the data from 1999 to 2023 shows a gradual decline in capital spending on economic services, even though they remain the largest category. While economic services accounted for over 65% in 1999, this share has decreased to around 44% in recent years. Meanwhile, administration spending has increased, suggesting a growing focus on governance, bureaucracy, and institutional frameworks.

Source:

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

Period:

1999 - 2023
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The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism received ₦8 billion, three times the budget of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation
  • The Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy allocated a total of ₦10.5 billion to its MDAs for the 2025 fiscal year.
  • The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) received ₦8 billion, the largest allocation.
  • NIHOTOUR's allocation accounts for 75.5% of the ministry’s total budget for 2025.
  • The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation received ₦2.6 billion, representing 24.5% of the total allocation.
  • NIHOTOUR’s budget is more than three times the allocation given to NTDC.
The Nigeria Immigration Service was allocated the largest share of the Ministry of Interior's budget (₦618.7 billion), accounting for a dominant 55.8%
  • The Nigeria Immigration Service received the highest share — ₦618.7 billion (55.8%) — of the Interior Ministry’s 2025 budget.
  • This allocation emphasises border security and migration management as national priorities.
  • The NSCDC follows with ₦240.9 billion (21.7%), highlighting the government’s focus on civil protection and internal security.
  • The Nigeria Correctional Service received ₦184.6 billion (16.7%).
  • Other agencies, including the ministry headquarters, received ₦64.5 billion (5.8%).
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments received the largest allocation (₦15 billion) among the ministry’s MDAs
  • The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy received a total of ₦71.7 billion in the 2025 budget.
  • The National Commission for Museums and Monuments got the highest allocation of ₦15 billion.
  • Visual and film industries received notable funding of ₦10.1 billion for the National Gallery of Art and ₦8.4 billion for the Nigerian Film Corporation.
  • The National Council of Arts and Culture was allocated ₦7 billion.
  • The National Film and Video Censors Board received ₦4.4 billion, emphasising regulation and content oversight.
  • Institutions like the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, which promotes African identity, received ₦3.5 billion.
Enugu State recorded the sharpest IGR increase in 2024, growing over fivefold
  • Enugu led the country in IGR growth in 2024 with a 433% increase.
  • Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kano, and Osun also experienced large year-on-year increases, indicating widening fiscal activity across regions.
  • Lagos, Rivers, and the FCT recorded slower growth rates but still generated the largest total revenues.
  • The fastest growth often came from states focused on reforming tax systems or broadening local revenue sources, rather than from being traditionally big or wealthy states alone.
Lagos’ IGR in 2024 was over 3x more than all other South West states combined
  • Lagos drives most revenue in the South West, accounting for the clear majority of the region’s IGR.
  • Each geopolitical zone has one dominant state that shapes its revenue profile.
  • Fiscal capacity remains heavily skewed toward a few urban and resource-rich states.
Lagos State generated the vast majority of Nigeria's IGR at ₦1.3 trillion, accounting for over 35% of the ₦3.7 trillion total IGR
  • Nigeria’s total IGR in 2024 was ₦3.7 trillion.
  • Lagos State generated ₦1.3 trillion, accounting for over 35% of the national IGR.
  • Rivers State (₦317.3 billion) and the FCT, Abuja (₦282.4 billion) ranked second and third, respectively.
  • The South West led regionally with ₦1.7 trillion in total IGR.
  • The North East recorded the lowest regional IGR at ₦129.8 billion.
  • Economic disparity between regions remains wide, with Lagos alone outpacing entire regions.
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