Special Report: Tracking Edo’s Extra-Budgetary Spending

AN official fourth-quarter 2025 Budget Performance Report (BPR) has revealed that the Edo State Government spent ₦14.15 billion beyond what was approved in the state’s revised 2025 budget, raising concerns about fiscal discipline under Governor Monday Okpebholo.

The overspending cuts across the executive, legislature and judiciary—three arms constitutionally expected to uphold checks and balances. Civil society observers warn that the pattern suggests a systemic weakening of legislative control over public finance.

Capital Projects: When Approvals Don’t Add Up

One of the most striking examples involves the Edo State House of Assembly. The construction of a new legislative building had no allocation in the revised 2025 budget, despite ₦100 million provided in the original budget. Yet ₦20 million was spent on the project. This follows ₦900 million expended in 2024 and another ₦250 million approved for 2026.

Other ministries and departments also exceeded capital allocations. Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Projects overshot their ₦500 million approval by ₦5 million. Infrastructure development in oil-producing areas exceeded its ₦15.195 billion allocation by ₦800.39 million.

The Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency recorded one of the largest variances, spending ₦14.14 billion on renovations against an approved ₦11.7 billion—an excess of ₦2.44 billion. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Development spent ₦450 million on renovating a children’s correctional centre, surpassing its ₦68 million ceiling by ₦382 million.

Altogether, capital overruns amounted to ₦3.7 billion.

Overhead Costs: The Biggest Deviations

The most significant breaches occurred in overhead spending. The governor’s office alone exceeded its allocation by ₦3.64 billion, spending ₦13.72 billion against an approved ₦10.08 billion.

The House of Assembly spent ₦7.23 billion instead of its ₦4.67 billion allocation, posting ₦2.56 billion in excess expenditure. The Edo State High Court of Justice and the Edo State Multi-Door Courthouse also recorded major overruns.

Overhead deviations totalled ₦9.44 billion—nearly two-thirds of the entire extra-budgetary figure.

Personnel and a Recurring Pattern

Personnel costs added another ₦1 billion in breaches. The General Services Department under the Secretary to the State Government exceeded its personnel budget by ₦645.57 million, with other institutions following suit.

The pattern is not new. A review of 2024’s BPR showed ₦4.36 billion in extra-budgetary spending across 26 MDAs, with the state assembly accounting for the bulk.

Development Deferred

While billions exceeded approved limits, several development projects received no funding despite legislative backing. Allocations for Sustainable Development Goals projects, agricultural programmes and employment-boosting initiatives were not released.

According to civil society group Policy Alert, the trend amounts to a “fiscal failure,” undermining public trust and legislative authority.

With youth unemployment high and economic pressures mounting, analysts warn that every naira spent outside approved plans carries real social consequences. The question now confronting Edo is whether stronger oversight mechanisms will be enforced—or whether extra-budgetary spending will become business as usual.