N15bn Worth of projects under Tinubu’s administration flagged as fraudulent – Report

A civic technology platform, Tracka, has revealed widespread gaps in the implementation of federal government projects across Nigeria, with findings showing that only 1,438 out of 2,668 tracked projects were completed.

According to the report, 660 projects are currently ongoing, 471 were not executed, while 99 were abandoned, raising serious concerns about accountability and value for public spending.

The report further disclosed that 92 projects were fraudulently delivered, characterised by diversion of funds, relocation of projects to unintended locations, repeated payments for projects executed in previous budget cycles, partial execution, and substandard delivery.

Tracka identified Imo, Lagos, Kwara, Abia and Ogun states as having the highest concentration of fraudulently delivered projects, accounting for 57.1 per cent of such cases. The affected projects in the five states involved N8.61 billion out of the total N15.07 billion flagged nationwide.

According to Tracka, its monitoring focused on strategic infrastructure sectors critical to national development, including dams, primary healthcare centres and federal intervention projects in the Niger Delta.

Dam Projects Raise Red Flags

The report revealed significant implementation failures in dam-related projects, which are crucial for irrigation, flood control and power generation.

Following repeated national grid collapses in 2024, Tracka tracked 16 dam projects across 13 states, valued at N432 million. Findings showed that none of the projects had been completed at the time of assessment.

Out of the 16 projects, four were abandoned, six were progressing slowly, while six had not commenced, despite evidence of approved funding.

Primary Healthcare Centres Underperform

On healthcare infrastructure, Tracka tracked 47 revitalised primary healthcare centres across 25 states. Only 26 facilities showed visible improvements in infrastructure or equipment.

The report found that 12 centres were undergoing renovation, eight showed no sign of intervention despite being listed as revitalised, while one facility had been completely abandoned.

Tracka noted that in many affected communities, residents continue to travel long distances for medical services due to poor staffing, inadequate equipment and weak sanitation standards.

Mixed Outcomes in Niger Delta Projects

In the Niger Delta, the platform monitored 48 federal government-funded projects across Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta and Rivers states.

Of these, 29 projects were completed and delivered measurable benefits, 13 had not commenced, four were ongoing, while two were untraceable, despite confirmed funding approvals.

Citizen Engagement Driving Success

Despite the challenges, the report highlighted 15 success stories where citizen engagement and monitoring contributed to project delivery.

These include the revitalisation of Kaida Sabo Primary Healthcare Centre, renovation of Nawairudeen Primary School in Plateau State, completion of a previously stalled healthcare centre in Ikirun, empowerment programmes for persons with disabilities in Katsina, erosion control projects in Rivers State, and borehole projects in Akwa Ibom.

Speaking on the findings, Head of Tracka, Joshua Osiyemi, emphasised the importance of public participation in governance.

“If just five per cent of Nigerians engage in oversight, monitoring could reach 50 per cent, significantly reducing opportunities for corruption and greatly improving service delivery and quality of life across communities,” he said.

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