Nigerians Urge Lawmakers to Hold Tinubu Govt Accountable for Loans, 2025 Budget
The Civic Alliance for Fiscal Transparency (CAFT) has issued a strong statement calling on members of the National Assembly to hold the executive accountable for newly approved foreign loans and the sluggish implementation of the 2025 capital budget, or resign from office.
In a statement released on Saturday, CAFT President, Engr. Ayodele Olaposi, accused lawmakers of failing to live up to their constitutional responsibilities, saying Nigerians were tired of a legislature that “approves loans with one hand and closes its eyes with the other.”
Source: Twitter
He stressed that the duty of lawmakers extends beyond appropriation to ensuring that every borrowed dollar and every naira allocated to capital projects translates into visible improvements in citizens’ lives.
Budget delays undermining economic progress
According to Olaposi, although President Bola Tinubu’s administration has recorded notable revenue gains through fiscal reforms and improved oil receipts, those gains have yet to positively impact the everyday lives of Nigerians.
“It is unacceptable that after celebrating revenue growth and approving multi-billion-dollar loans, the government still drags its feet on the 2025 capital budget,” he said.
“This delay hurts the economy and erodes public confidence. Implementing the budget fully and transparently will prove that this administration is genuinely committed to development, not just managing headlines.”
CAFT highlighted that Nigeria’s total debt stock surpassed ₦149 trillion as of mid-2025, with debt servicing now consuming more than 60 percent of federal revenue. The group warned that continued borrowing without proper oversight could trap future generations in a cycle of debt without tangible development outcomes.
‘National Assembly must stop acting as a clearing house’
CAFT urged legislators to take their oversight role seriously by ensuring every loan approved by the National Assembly is tracked, audited, and tied to measurable results.
“The National Assembly must not become a clearing house for unsustainable borrowing. Every loan approved must be tracked, audited, and tied to measurable impact.
The time has come for legislators to justify the trust placed in them, or make way for those who will,” Olaposi stated.
He further called on the legislature to compel full disclosure from the executive on how newly acquired foreign loans will be spent—project by project—and to ensure that funds are prioritized toward infrastructure, job creation, and poverty reduction.
Call for transparency and public reporting
To rebuild public trust, CAFT urged the publication of quarterly progress reports detailing how borrowed funds and budgetary allocations are utilized.
“True accountability is not about speeches or committee sittings—it’s about results,” the statement read.
“When roads are built, when schools function, when hospitals receive equipment, Nigerians will know that governance is working. Until then, every borrowed fund must remain under scrutiny.”
‘Economic growth must translate to social progress’
While commending the federal government’s commitment to non-oil revenue growth and local industrialisation, CAFT emphasized that economic success must be felt by ordinary Nigerians.
Source: Twitter
“The government must not allow bureaucratic inertia to undermine the promise of reform,” Olaposi said.
Group asks Tinubu to treat 2025 capital budget as bational emergency
Legit.ng earlier reported that a civic accountability group, the Coalition for Equitable Development and Fiscal Justice (CEDFJ), has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare the 2025 capital budget a national emergency.
the group warned that persistent bureaucratic delays under the Ministry of Finance are derailing economic reforms, slowing national recovery, and weakening citizens’ trust in government ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement on Monday signed by Dr Gbenga Akinbowale, CEDFJ’s president, and Gloria Maduegbuna, its national secretary, the group accused the Ministry of Finance of being the “weakest link” in the administration’s reform agenda.
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Source: Legit.ng
