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By racy Moses
The Federal Ministry of Interior has recorded zero capital allocation release for two consecutive fiscal years, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed on Tuesday.
Tunji-Ojo made the revelation during a budget defence session before the joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives in Abuja, describing the situation as a major setback to project implementation and infrastructure development under the ministry.
According to the minister, none of the capital funds approved for the ministry in the 2024 and 2025 budgets had been released, resulting in a complete halt in the execution of capital projects within the period under review.
“For two consecutive years, we have recorded zero percent capital release,” he told lawmakers, noting that performance on capital projects equally stood at zero percent due solely to the non-release of funds.
The minister explained that although the National Assembly approved capital allocations for the ministry, the absence of actual cash backing had made it impossible to implement critical projects across its agencies.
He, however, assured the lawmakers that despite the funding challenges, the ministry had maintained financial discipline, consistently remitting its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in line with statutory requirements.
Earlier, members of the joint committee, led by Chairman of the Senate Committee, Adams Oshiomhole, expressed concern over the non-release of capital funds, describing it as a recurring bottleneck that undermines effective budget implementation.
The lawmakers stressed that while the National Assembly fulfils its constitutional responsibility by approving budgets, it expects the executive arm to ensure timely release of funds to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) deliver on their mandates.
They warned that persistent delays in capital releases could result in stalled and abandoned projects across the country, particularly in critical security and internal administration institutions.
Agencies under the ministry that appeared before the joint committee include the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Federal Fire Service.
The development has further heightened concerns over widening gaps in budget implementation within the federal system and the implications for service delivery in key institutions responsible for internal security and public safet