Public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu has questioned the inclusion of ₦8.4 billion for road construction projects in the proposed 2026 budget of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, describing the allocations as inconsistent with the commission’s mandate.
Shehu raised the concerns in a post shared on his verified X account on Monday, where he alleged that several items contained in the commission’s budget have little or no connection with its responsibility of addressing the challenges facing Almajiri and out-of-school children across Nigeria.
According to him, the commission has a proposed budget of ₦22.82 billion for the 2026 fiscal year, with ₦8.4 billion allocated for road construction projects in Ekiti, Ogun and Katsina states.
He argued that road construction is not among the statutory responsibilities of the commission and questioned why such projects were included in its budget.
“From the total budget, ₦8.4 billion was recklessly earmarked for road construction in Ekiti, Ogun and Katsina states,” Shehu wrote.
He also claimed that the proposed budget contains allocations for solar installations, the purchase of hospital ambulances and medical equipment, which he said are equally outside the commission’s core functions.
“Other reckless provisions are those for solar installations and the purchase of hospital ambulances and hospital equipment,” he stated.
According to Shehu, the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children was established to develop policies and programs aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children, improving access to education and addressing the challenges associated with the Almajiri system.
He maintained that projects such as road construction and the procurement of hospital equipment do not directly support those objectives.
“The policy document of the commission has nothing to do with road construction. Its mandate is purely Almajiri-centred,” he said.
The public affairs commentator further alleged that the questionable budget items may have been inserted by politicians seeking to divert public funds to projects unrelated to the commission’s responsibilities.
“It is clear from the fraudulent insertions that some politicians are simply wicked, irresponsible, callous, treacherous and greedy,” he wrote.
Shehu did not provide evidence to support the allegation of fraudulent insertions, and there has been no official response from the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children or the Federal Government as of the time of filing this report.
The proposed 2026 federal budget is expected to undergo scrutiny by the National Assembly, where lawmakers are constitutionally empowered to examine estimates submitted by ministries, departments and agencies before approving the Appropriation Bill.
Budget proposals by federal agencies often attract public attention during the legislative process, especially where civil society groups, policy analysts and members of the public question whether certain projects align with the mandates of the agencies involved.
In recent years, there have been repeated concerns over the inclusion of projects that appear unrelated to the statutory responsibilities of some ministries, departments and agencies. Such projects are commonly referred to by critics as “budget insertions” or “pork barrel” projects.
Successive administrations have pledged to improve transparency and accountability in public spending, while anti-corruption advocates have continued to call for stricter oversight of the budgeting process.
The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children was established to coordinate policies and programmes aimed at reducing the growing number of children outside the formal education system. Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world, with governments at both the federal and state levels implementing various interventions to improve school enrolment and reduce educational inequality.
The commission is expected to work with state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to provide educational opportunities, skills acquisition and welfare support for vulnerable children, particularly those affected by the Almajiri system.