Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – A civic tech platform has flagged a staggering N4 billion expenditure in Borno State’s 2025 budget for rail construction projects that appear to exist only on paper. Tracka, a subsidiary of BudgIT, reported that the Borno State Government claimed to have fully executed two rail projects costing N2 billion each, but physical verification revealed no evidence of any work, raising serious questions about the utilisation of public funds.
According to Tracka’s findings, the 2025 Borno State Budget Implementation Report stated that N2 billion was fully spent on the Construction of Rail Projects in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) Local Government Area. Another N2 billion was reportedly spent on the construction of rail projects in Jere Local Government Area, bringing the total to N4 billion, with both projects recorded as 100 percent implemented. However, when Tracka’s team visited the Maiduguri Railway Terminus and the rail corridors in both local government areas in May 2026, they found only old, rusted, abandoned, and deteriorating rail infrastructure. There was no visible evidence of recently completed rail construction or rehabilitation works, no active construction sites, no contractor presence, and no project signage indicating that N4 billion worth of projects had been executed. Community members also reported that they could not recall any recent major rail construction activities within the affected areas.
Tracka has called on Governor Babagana Zulum, the Ministry of Transport and Energy, and other relevant authorities to provide answers. The platform is demanding clarity on what exactly the N4 billion was spent on, the identities of the contractors, the locations of the completed rail projects, and why the physical reality does not appear to align with the reported 100 percent implementation status. Tracka has also urged the Borno State Government, the State House of Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the projects and provide clarity on the utilisation of public funds.
The revelation has reignited debate over the need for citizens to closely monitor state budgets and hold governments accountable. Tracka’s post concluded with a powerful message: “Accountability should not end with budget releases; it must extend to verifying what is actually delivered on the ground.” The Borno State Government has yet to issue an official response to the allegations. As of Monday, June 15, 2026, no statement has been released by Governor Zulum’s administration regarding the Tracka report.
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