ANALYSIS: 10 MDAs account for 84% of 2026 budget

The 10 biggest ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria’s 2026 budget account for N49.96 trillion, an analysis of the 2026 Appropriation Act by TheCable shows.

The figure represents about 84.4 percent of the N59.2 trillion allocated to the country’s 52 MDAs.

The N59.2 trillion excludes statutory transfers and other expenditures outside the MDA schedules in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

Of the N49.96 trillion earmarked for the 10 MDAs, the ministries of finance and budget & economic planning alone account for almost N30 trillion, largely due to debt service and service-wide votes.

Service-wide votes (SWV) are a specialised pool of funds set aside in the national budget to address unforeseen emergencies, contingencies, or obligations that affect multiple government agencies.

However, the analysis also shows stark differences in how the allocations will be spent.

While ministries such as works, agriculture and science devote more than 90 percent of their budgets to capital projects, others, including defence, education, police affairs and the ministry of Niger Delta, are overwhelmingly personnel-driven.

Below is a breakdown of the 10 biggest MDA allocations in the 2026 budget.

FINANCE MINISTRY TOPS THE LIST WITH N16.68TRN

The ministry of finance has the largest allocation in the 2026 budget at N16.68 trillion

However, the ministry’s allocation is largely not for its own operations. About N15.82 trillion, representing roughly 95 percent of the total, is earmarked for debt service through the Debt Management Office (DMO).

Personnel costs account for N54.8 billion, while N807.6 billion is allocated for capital expenditure.

BUDGET MINISTRY EARMARKS N13.28TRN 

The ministry of budget and economic planning received N13.28 trillion, making it the second-largest recipient.

The allocation is dominated by the service wide vote, which accounts for N12.83 trillion, leaving only a small portion for the ministry’s direct operations.

Personnel costs amount to N2.19 trillion, overheads N1.53 trillion, while capital expenditure stands at N9.56 trillion.

WORKS GETS N3.59TRN 

The ministry of works is the largest infrastructure ministry in the budget, with N3.59 trillion.

According to the bill, only N12.6 billion is allocated for personnel and N35.5 billion for overheads.

The remaining N3.54 trillion, representing more than 98 percent of the allocation is dedicated to capital projects.

AGRICULTURE BUDGETS N3.57TRN

The ministry of agriculture and food security received N3.57 trillion, making it the fourth-largest allocation.

Of the total, N3.43 trillion is earmarked for capital expenditure, while personnel and overheads account for N136.3 billion and N11.3 billion, respectively.

The allocation reflects the government’s continued emphasis on boosting food production and reducing inflation.

DEFENCE MINISTRY RECEIVES N3.16TRN

The ministry of defence was allocated N3.16 trillion.

Unlike works and agriculture, most of the allocation will fund personnel costs.

The ministry will spend N2.39 trillion on salaries and related expenses, N299 billion on overheads and N466.3 billion on capital projects.

EDUCATION GETS N2.56TRN

The ministry of education has a total allocation of N2.56 trillion.

Personnel expenditure accounts for N1.74 trillion, compared with N686.5 billion for capital projects and N132.3 billion for overheads.

The figures indicate that recurrent expenditure continues to outweigh infrastructure spending in the education sector.

HEALTH  MINISTRY RECEIVES N2.51TRN

The ministry of health and social welfare has N2.51 trillion in the 2026 budget.

Unlike education, health has a relatively balanced allocation, with N1.25 trillion for capital projects and N1.20 trillion for personnel.

Another N54.6 billion is budgeted for overhead costs.

SCIENCE MINISTRY EARMARKS OVER 95% FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS 

The ministry of science, technology and innovation is allocated N1.93 trillion.

Capital expenditure accounts for N1.83 trillion, or more than 95 percent of the ministry’s allocation.

Personnel and overheads amount to N85.1 billion and N8.3 billion, respectively.

NIGER DELTA MINISTRY BUDGETS N1.35TRN 

The ministry of Niger Delta has N1.35 trillion budget.

A review of the budget shows N1.33 trillion is classified as personnel expenditure, while only N19.3 billion is allocated for capital projects.

The personnel component includes allocations to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the regional development commissions.

POLICE AFFAIRS GETS N1.33TRN

The ministry of police affairs rounds out the top 10 with N1.33 trillion budget.

Personnel costs account for N1.19 trillion, while N83.6 billion is allocated to overheads and N61.5 billion to capital expenditure.

The allocation highlights the personnel-intensive nature of policing expenditure. (TheCable)