Nigeria’s Science and Technology Agency Allocates 71.9% Of ₦32.7bn Budget For Projects Outside Its Mandate
Mayowa DurosinmiSeptember 6, 20243 Mins read407 
Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), under the Nigerian Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, has allocated N23.5 billion, 71.9 per cent of its 2024 capital expenditure budget for constituency projects outside its constitutional mandate.
As contained in the 2024 appropriation bill, SHESTCO allocated ₦32.7 billion for capital projects; however, in the document, ₦495 million appeared eight times, which summed up to ₦3.9 billion allocated for eight similar constituency projects, such as construction and installation of solar street lights, as highlighted below.
| PROJECT | LOCATION | COST |
| Purchase and Installation of Solar Panel Lights and Accessories for Security Enhancement | Enugu State | ₦495,926,518 |
| Provision of E-Learning Facilities for Unemployed Youths | Different parts of the six Geopolitical Zones | ₦495,926,518 |
| Installation of All-In-One Solar Lights | Various tertiary institutions in Nigeria | ₦495,926,518 |
| Construction and Installation of Solar Street Lights | Awka North, Anambra State | ₦495,926,518 |
| Construction of Rural Access Roads with Asphalt | Various communities in the Federation (NGN) | ₦495,926,518 |
| Construction of Road and Drainage | Umuchi, Okpologu, and Akaokwa LGA | ₦495,926,518 |
| Construction and Multi-Purpose Auditorium | Nnamdi Azikwe University | ₦495,926,518 |
| Construction and Installation of All in One Solar Street Lights | Different Locations in South East | ₦495,926,518 |
TOTAL ₦3,967,412,144
The document also revealed that SHESTCO wants to spend a total of ₦28,763,114,373 billion on lawmakers’ constituency projects across the country.
| PROJECT | LOCATION | COST |
| TRAINING OF YOUTHS AND EMPOWERMENT IN THE REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE OF PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL FITTINGS | ANKA/TALATA MAFARA, FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ZAMFARA STATE | ₦50,000,000 |
| YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | YAMALTU/DEBA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦60,000,000.00 |
| TRAINING OF RURAL HEALTH WORKERS | BAYELSA WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT | ₦100,000,000.00 |
| TRAINING AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN | KOGI EAST | ₦100,000,000.00 |
| TRAINING AND EMPOWERMENT OF VARIOUS GROUPS | BAYELSA WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTICS ENTERPRISES FOR YOUTHS | SAGAMU/IKENNE/REMO NORTH FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, OGUN STATE | ₦100,000,000.00 |
| TRAINING, SUPPLY AND ADVOCACY FOR SELECTED PERSONS | AKKO FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦300,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF TOYOTA HIACE AMBULANCE 2023 MODEL AND OTHER VEHICLES | BALANGA/BILLIRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦500,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF MOTORCYCLES | GARKO/ WUDIL FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, KANO STATE | ₦30,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF FOOD ITEMS | NORTH EAST AND SOME SELECTED STATES | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF FERTILIZER TO FARMERS | YAMALTU DEBA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦30,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF FARM IMPLEMENTS TO FARMERS | BALANGA/BILLIRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL FOOD AND RELIEF MATERIALS TO WOMEN AND THE ELDERLY | SAGAMU/IKENNE/REMO NORTH FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, OGUN STATE | ₦100,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF EMPOWERMENT MATERIALS FOR YOUTH AND WOMEN | EKITI AND OTHER SELECTED SOUTH WEST STATES | ₦300,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF EMPOWERMENT MATERIALS FOR WOMEN AND YOUTHS | SAGAMU/IKENNE/ REMO NORTH FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, OGUN STATE | ₦100,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY OF EMPOWERMENT ITEMS, INCLUDING MOTORCYCLES, TRICYCLES, VEHICLES | GOMBE STATE | ₦500,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR UNITS | — | ₦180,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR STREETLIGHTS | OHA OZARA/ONICHA/IVO FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, EBONYI STATE | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR STREETLIGHTS | NORTH EAST | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF SOLAR STREETLIGHTS | ENUGU EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT, ENUGU STATE | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF RENEWABLE SOLAR STREET LIGHTS | COMMUNITIES OF OBINGWA LGA OF ABIA SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT OF ABIA STATE | ₦100,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF ALL-IN-ONE INTEGRATED SOLAR-POWERED STREET LIGHT | OYIMA COMMUNITY, IMO STATE | ₦200,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLIES OF TRACTORS AND OTHER FARM IMPLEMENTS (INCLUDING FERTILIZERS, HERBICIDES AND PUMPING MACHINES) | BALANGA/BILLIRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦500,000,000.00 |
| SUPPLIES OF EMPOWERMENT ITEMS, INCLUDING VEHICLES, MOTORCYCLES AND HILUX FOR MONITORING PROJECTS | BALANGA/BILLIRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, GOMBE STATE | ₦300,000,000.00 |
| SOLAR STREET LIGHT INSTALLATION FOR COMMUNITY SECURITY IN SELECTED LOCATIONS | KOGI EAST | ₦250,000,000.00 |
| SOLAR STREET LIGHT INSTALLATION FOR COMMUNITY SECURITY | DEKINA, IDAH & ANKPA, KOGI EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT | ₦250,000,000.00 |
Table of Misallocated Budgets by SHESTCO | Source: Budget Office
While the above summed up to ₦5.1 billion, other similar constituency projects, as detailed in the approved SHESTCO’s budget, amounted to ₦19.5 billion.
These projects, far from SHESTCO’s mandate, were spread across four tertiary institutions, states, and six geopolitical zones.
In total, SHESTCO intends to spend ₦28.6 billion out of its ₦32.7 billion allocation on non-related projects for an agency mandated to equip and strengthen research centres, including Biotechnology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and a Nuclear Technology Centre with a gamma irradiation plant at the national level.
With the agency’s recent activities of budget padding and indications of inactivity, the House of Representatives, in a recent report, called for increased budgetary allocation to enhance research at the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO).
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