The year 2024 was no doubt a tough one for Nigerians.
With each passing day, Nigerians on and offline air their grievances, their narrations filled with agony.
True, Nigerians have endured hardship before, but trust us when we say, they have never seen anything of such.
Many had called on the Federal Government to come to their aid, and trust the government, aid was exactly what they got.
But that help came with a price.
Over ₦9.74 billion was spent in 2024 alone on the procurement and distribution of food items to mitigate the food crisis across Nigeria.
This information was disclosed by BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation focused on promoting transparency and accountability in government spending, via its GovSpend platform.
According to the report, a significant portion of the funds was allocated for essential food staples such as rice, beans, maize, and other commodities.
The Initiative
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security spearheaded the initiative, engaging contractors to deliver palliative food supplies to various federal constituencies nationwide.
Also Read: Japa: Tinubu’s Aide Gives Advantage Of Naira Devaluation
Key food distribution efforts included the supply of rice, beans, and garri to vulnerable communities struggling with hunger.
However, the report revealed that payments were made per constituency between February and November 2024.
The palliative program covered states like Kano, Ogun, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, Jigawa, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Bauchi, Rivers, Borno, Sokoto, and Enugu.
The total expenditure on this food intervention program was pegged at ₦9.74 billion, according to BudgIT’s findings.
Many Nigerians have countered this report, stressing that they received no palliative during the said period.
