Senate Slams FG Over N2.9 Billion Monthly Allocation to NCDC, Says Funding Is 'Drop in the Ocean'

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

The Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission has strongly criticised the Federal Government's monthly release of N2.9 billion to the commission, describing the allocation as grossly inadequate and a mere "drop in the ocean" compared to the commission's approved N140 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Chairman of the committee, Senator Titus Zam, who represents Benue North-West, made the observation on Tuesday in Abuja after an interactive session with the management of the commission. He warned that if the current monthly release is sustained throughout the year, the total funding would amount to less than half of the commission's approved annual budget, making it insufficient to drive meaningful development across the North Central region.

"Every month, they are given N2.9 billion per month, and that is a drop in the ocean," Zam declared. "Remember that they have a budget of N140 billion, and if you give someone that has a budget of N140 billion, N2.9 billion per month, times 12 months, it's still not up to half." Despite the stark funding gap, the senator expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and the executive for commencing releases to the newly established commission, describing the current allocation as a temporary take-off package rather than a permanent arrangement. "We thank Mr. President, we thank the executive for at least dropping something for them to take off. I suppose that is just a take-off package. When the commission finally comes to fruition, it is expected that much more will be released."

The North Central Development Commission is one of several regional development agencies established to address the infrastructural deficits, security challenges, and economic underdevelopment that have long plagued the North Central zone, which comprises Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory. The region, often described as Nigeria's food basket, has vast arable land, favourable rainfall patterns, and rich vegetation that make agriculture a natural driver of economic growth. However, the region has also been grappling with persistent insecurity, including farmer-herder conflicts, banditry, and kidnapping, which have disrupted farming activities and displaced thousands of rural communities. The commission was established to coordinate development efforts, attract investment, and complement the work of state governments and security agencies in addressing these challenges.

Senator Zam used the opportunity to outline the committee's expectations for the commission, urging its management to focus its interventions on agriculture, security, and rural development. He noted that the North Central region possesses significant comparative advantages that must be harnessed to drive economic growth and improve the livelihoods of its predominantly rural population. "North central region has certain comparative advantages over and above other regions. For example, we have arable land, we have good rainfall, we have vegetation that is conducive for agriculture. We have admonished the management of the NCDC to take agriculture very seriously," Zam said. He also called on the commission to support mining activities across the region, noting that most North Central states are endowed with abundant mineral resources that can stimulate economic development if properly harnessed.

On the security front, the committee chairman stressed that the commission must complement the efforts of security agencies and state governments in tackling insecurity, which he described as one of the major obstacles to development in the region. "We also have a challenge of insecurity. The commission is advised to support the security forces and state governments to complement their efforts towards mitigating the tides of insecurity within the region," Zam stated. He further urged the commission to prioritise rural development by expanding access to roads, bridges, culverts, and other critical infrastructure needed to improve the living conditions of rural communities. "Apart from the state capitals and a few local government headquarters, most of north-central is rural, so they have to do those basic things — culverts, bridges. That has been taken care of as part of our deliberations in the meeting," he added.

Despite the funding constraints, Zam assured that the Senate committee would ensure the prudent utilisation of the available resources by providing effective oversight and guiding the commission on priority areas requiring immediate attention. He disclosed that the committee and the commission's management had agreed on timelines for implementing key developmental programmes and that the committee would immediately commence oversight visits, starting with an inspection of the commission's headquarters before proceeding to the North Central states to assess ongoing and proposed projects. "We want to see clear deliverables consistent with the commission's mandate," Zam said, adding that the oversight visits would provide lawmakers with first-hand information on project implementation and enable the National Assembly to assess the commission's progress against its development targets.

The committee chairman also called on the commission to publicly unveil its development blueprint to enable citizens to monitor progress and hold the agency accountable. "The people should know what the commission plans to achieve," he said, reiterating the committee's commitment to supporting the commission to deliver on its mandate while ensuring that public funds are properly utilised. The interactive session between the Senate committee and the NCDC management marked an important step in the commission's journey toward becoming fully operational, even as questions remain about whether the current funding levels will be sufficient to address the region's enormous development deficits. For now, the committee has made it clear that while it appreciates the federal government's initial commitment, much more will be required to translate the commission's mandate into tangible projects that improve the lives of millions of Nigerians across the North Central zone.

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