The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has invited the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar; and the Director-General, Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, over what it described as inadequate funding for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the 2025 budget proposal.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dunoma Ahmed, is also expected to attend the session on January 14, 2025.
The committee chairman, Oluwole Oke, expressed concern over the ₦286.88 billion allocated for recurrent expenditures and ₦66.88 billion for capital expenditures, emphasizing that the funds fall short of the ministry’s ₦1.5 trillion needs assessment.
He suggested that at least ₦500 billion was necessary to address urgent requirements, including embassy maintenance and operational costs.
“The poor funding might undermine Nigeria’s diplomatic efforts and frustrate the Federal Government’s image-building agenda,” Oke stated, adding that critical payments for international subscriptions and allowances for Foreign Service officers are at risk.
Oke proposed long-term solutions such as allowing foreign missions to acquire properties via mortgage models rather than paying exorbitant rents, citing missions in cities like New York, Paris, and Dubai as examples.
He also criticized the lack of accountability within the ministry, alleging self-inflicted inefficiencies. “During oversight visits, we observe records being hidden, hindering efforts to redefine and improve their operational systems,” he added.
The 2025 budget, presented by President Bola Tinubu and tagged The Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity, is set at ₦47.90 trillion, with ₦13 trillion allocated for debt servicing.
This summons aims to address the critical financial constraints and ensure adequate funding in the 2025 budget for Nigeria’s global diplomatic engagements.