The Rising Cost Of Government In Nigeria Amid Widespread Economic Hardship -By Maryam Berende

At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to put food on the table, when inflation has pushed basic necessities beyond the reach of ordinary families, and when youth unemployment continues to climb, the cost of governance in Nigeria remains staggeringly high. The contradiction is glaring: while the average citizen tightens their belt in response to economic realities, the machinery of government—federal, state, and local—continues to expand in size, luxury, and waste.

Recent reports from civil society watchdogs and budget analysts reveal that recurrent expenditure—money spent on salaries, allowances, vehicles, and government overhead—accounts for more than 70 percent of Nigeria’s annual budget. This leaves little room for capital projects, infrastructure, and investments that could improve the lives of citizens. What is even more striking is that a significant portion of this recurrent expenditure goes into maintaining political office holders whose perks far outweigh those of their counterparts in many countries with stronger economies.

For instance, members of the National Assembly reportedly earn among the highest salaries and allowances for legislators worldwide. This comes in addition to constituency allowances, luxury vehicles, and other entitlements. At the state level, governors operate bloated cabinets, maintain large convoys, and fund multiple aides and advisers, even as their states struggle to pay teachers and health workers. Local governments, which are meant to be the closest to the grassroots, are often reduced to conduits for political patronage, with little transparency in how funds are managed.

The cultural optics are disturbing. Nigerians watch their leaders travel abroad for medical check-ups while public hospitals at home collapse. They see politicians sending their children to foreign schools while public education remains underfunded. Meanwhile, civil servants retire without their pensions, communities suffer from poor roads, and young people roam the streets in search of jobs that never come. The contrast between the lavish lifestyles of leaders and the poverty of the masses has widened distrust in governance and fueled resentment.

Analysts point out that reducing the cost of governance is not just a financial issue but a matter of national survival. With dwindling oil revenues and rising debt, Nigeria cannot sustain a system where a disproportionate share of public funds goes into maintaining political offices rather than building infrastructure or investing in human capital. Recommendations for reform include trimming the size of government, merging overlapping agencies, reducing allowances for political office holders, and adopting technology to reduce administrative costs.

Civil society organizations, the media, and concerned citizens have consistently raised alarm over this imbalance, but successive administrations have shied away from tackling it. The reluctance is understandable: reforming the cost of governance would mean cutting down the privileges enjoyed by the political class, a move that few leaders are willing to champion. Yet, without decisive action, Nigeria risks plunging deeper into debt, widening inequality, and increasing public disillusionment with democracy.

The question that now confronts Nigeria Is simple but urgent: can a nation struggling with poverty, insecurity, and unemployment continue to fund a government structure that consumes so much while delivering so little? Unless the cost of governance is addressed as a matter of priority, the cries of hungry citizens and the frustration of neglected communities will continue to echo louder than the promises made by those in power.

Maryam Berende is a 300 Level Student From Mass Communication Department University Of Maiduguri.