Nigerians are slowly putting pressure on their governors because the infrastructure is falling apart and most states aren’t seeing any economic growth, even though the federal government has given them more money since 2023.
For instance, data shows that the overall FAAC revenue allocated monthly to the three levels of government steadily rose from February to June 2025, with rises of 39% to 49%, according to the Sunday Independent.
According to FAAC statistics, revenue to states went up by 49% YoY in March 2025 (₦1.68T vs. ₦1.12T in March 2024). In February 2025, it went up by 48% YoY (₦1.70T vs. ₦1.15T in February 2024).
In April 2025, revenue went up by 41% from ₦1.12T in April 2024 to ₦1.58T.
January 2025 had the same amount as January 2024, which was ₦1.42T.
The steady rise in FAAC income in the first half of 2025 shows that the government is better at collecting taxes and that states have more money to pay their obligations.
These show that the government is better at getting money and that more money is coming in.
Every month in H1 2025 witnessed a big rise in shared revenue compared to the same month in 2024, except for January, which didn’t change. The growth rates ranged from 39% to 49%. Government sources say that there has been a steady gain in revenue and a stronger ability to sustain the activities of federal, state, and municipal governments, even in tough economic times.
But Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State recently asked his colleagues in the North to stop passing the buck on security and infrastructure, saying that the record amount of money now available to states means they have no excuses.
QUADRUPLED ALLOCATIONS
Governor Sule said at the 2025 Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialization Summit in Abuja last Monday that President Bola Tinubu’s reforms have made monthly payments to the three levels of government four times bigger.
He remarked, “For the first time in our history, all levels of government are getting more money than they ever thought possible.”
This month alone, more than N2.2 trillion was shared. We were sharing between N590 billion and N620 billion when I became governor in 2019. That amount is now four times that.
Sule told Northern leaders to put the money they got from the windfall into productive areas and be responsible for the safety of their states. “Every state now has the tools it needs to protect its people. No one should be blamed for our safety. He said, “If we are blaming anyone, we should blame ourselves.”
Governor Sule’s suggestion came after accusations that state governors had not been wisely using the extra money and FAAC funds to improve the lives, safety, and infrastructure of their people.
Instead, as the US Mission recently said, most of the state governors utilize the money to selfishly make their own lives better by buying real estate all around the world and living in luxury.
Because of this, there is a terrible lack of infrastructure in most states of the federation that should make life better for the people, while the situation of insecurity gets worse.
The lack of infrastructure like good roads and bridges has caused countless car accidents, floods, and boat accidents, which have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and the loss of property that can’t be measured.
This is because many Nigerians have been victims of violence, such as terrorist attacks, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and ritual killings in different regions of the country, while the governors and other public officials do little but complain after the fact.
People think that most of these deaths could have been avoided if the governors and public officials had used the money they made in the last year to build security systems and important infrastructure in their states.
This doesn’t take into account some of the things that certain state governors have done recently, such starting and announcing projects. However, we don’t know how good or long-lasting they will be yet.
It was learned that states like Imo, Edo, Abia, Enugu, and Lagos, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have been putting their money back into building infrastructure.
Lagos, Anambra, and a few other South West states have been spending money on security to help with policing in those areas.
For example, Anambra State just recently started a security group called Udochia (let peace reign), but it’s not clear how good the training is for these workers.
The state also started a cooperative security operation called Agunechemba, which means “the lions that guard the land.” This means that the state’s official security agencies patrol cities with Udochia as a team.
BAD GOVERNANCE
Barrister Olalekan Festus Ojo, a Lagos human rights lawyer and supporter of good governance, told our correspondent that the messy and dangerous state of things was not good. He said that the increase in federal funding to states over the past year should lead to real improvements in both security and infrastructure.
Barrister Ojo, the Managing Partner of Platinum & Taylor Hill LP, a top law practice in Nigeria, said, “Sadly, what we see in many states is a mixed picture.”
“Some have made little steps forward, but the truth is that insecurity—banditry, kidnapping, and community violence—remains widespread, and infrastructure problems, such bad roads and an inadequate power supply, continue to make it hard for businesses to operate.
“The problem isn’t just how much money is given out; it’s also about how well the government works.
“More money doesn’t mean anything if it’s not linked to clear budgeting, good monitoring, and planning for long-term growth.
“Too often, money is spent on things that need to be done again and over again, leaving little for capital projects or long-term security architecture.
“I think that states should be held to higher standards of responsibility.” More money should be spent on things that can be measured, such safer neighborhoods, better hospitals and schools, and infrastructure that really helps people make a living.
People also need to demand transparency since development isn’t just about how much money there is, but also about how well it is used.
The main issue is not a lack of resources, but a lack of strategic vision and focused execution.
“Until those changes are made, more money won’t bring about the change that Nigerians deserve.”
In response to our question, another lawyer, Barrister Emeka Iheonu, said, “Only a few states, like Lagos, have made enough progress in both security and infrastructure to justify the increase in federal allocations over the past year.”
“Some states, notably Niger, Imo, and the FCT, have made progress in building infrastructure, but crime is still a problem.
“However, most of the states still need to make progress in security and infrastructure development, which means they can’t justify the money they spent from the allocations.”
In a conversation with our reporter, Professor John Ebhomien, an economist and financial specialist, said that the country’s national security system is having a lot of problems.
He says that these include not enough money being set aside, since even while the 2025 budget sets aside nearly N6 trillion for security, a large part of it goes to people and operational costs, leaving not enough money for important capital expenditures.
NO INTERNAL SYNERGY
Prof. Ebhomien, a leader in the All Progressives Congress (APC), also blamed inter-agency rivalry for the problems in the security sector. He said that this rivalry, together with a lack of information sharing and conflicting priorities, makes it hard for agencies to work together and solve problems.
Ebhomien, who used to work as a consultant for the UN Office on Project Services and an expert for the World Bank and IMF, said that corruption in government and public service is bad for everyone.
He said, “Corruption is a big problem because some state governors and local government chairmen steal money that is supposed to be used for development and security.”
He said, “To solve these problems, we should use the following possible solutions.”
“Reform the security sector: Make the security sector more accountable, open, and effective by making big changes.
“This means changing the security and defense ministries, departments, and organizations.
“Citizen-Centric Approach: Move away from a reactive, military-focused approach and toward a proactive, whole-of-society framework that includes economic policy, educational reform, and youth empowerment in national security policies.
“Cybersecurity: Strengthen cybersecurity defenses to protect vital infrastructure, including: Implementing strong cybersecurity standards, such ISO 27001 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
“Improving threat intelligence and incident response skills; encouraging public-private partnerships to share threat intelligence and best practices.”
“Building infrastructure: Putting building roads, hospitals, and telecommunications networks at the top of the list to help the economy thrive and raise living standards.
“To solve these problems, we will need to:
“Making sure that all levels of government are accountable, open, and well-run.”
“Encouraging government agencies, businesses, and civil society to work together to solve problems that affect everyone.”
“Making and putting into action full national security plans that put the safety and health of citizens first.”
Dr. Herbert Ekechukwu, an economist, also talked to our reporter and said that Nigeria is still dealing with security problems including insurgency, banditry, and terrorism, which are hurting the economy and national security.
Ekechukwu, who is also a bishop, said, “Many schools, hospitals, roads, and other national institutions are in terrible shape and need help.”
“The end of subsidies on oil and gas has led to a big increase in federal funding for states, but the expected impact on national security and infrastructure development has not yet been felt.”
Corruption and collusion between government officials and non-state entities are making people feel less safe. Billions of dollars set aside for security votes are being abused.
“The government at all levels must make sure that the budget is used properly. Transparency, accountability, and smart money management should come first.
“Security agencies need to work together to deal with insecurity.”
MORE MONEY, MORE CORRUPTION
Dr. Rexkennedy Saltlove, a political activist and public affairs analyst, also told our reporter that the large amounts of federal money given to states and the lack of security and infrastructure development are mostly due to corruption and bad governance.
Saltlove, the President/Executive Director of the Citizens Rights and Empowerment Advocacy Initiative (CREMA Initiative), said, “Corruption and bad governance are the two main evils that have caused other problems that have made security and infrastructure worse.”
On the other hand, “infrastructure decay” makes people feel less safe. So, for example, terrible roads slow down cars on the expressways and make them places where thieves, bandits, and kidnappers can ambush law-abiding people who are using them, putting their lives in danger.
“The declining and worsening level of insecurity in the country, despite the purported success of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the military, indicates significant shortcomings.”
“This contribution is based on the tragic death of a journalist who worked for Arise TV. She was shot in an area near a military barracks in the FCT, and she fell down from upstairs to try to get away from the robbers.
“And when they took her to the hospital, they wouldn’t treat her because she couldn’t show them her ID at that time. She finally departed to die.
Corruption and bad government make people less trusting and less likely to use resources wisely. This leads to unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty. These governments also can’t provide good, well-equipped, and well-staffed schools and hospitals with the huge amounts of money they have.
Corruption and bad government, among other things, make it easier for elites to use ethnic and religious differences to start conflicts; security forces that are weak and not well-equipped.
“Others are porous borders, which make it easier for criminals and weapons to enter; a high number of small arms and light weapons; and inequality and marginalization, which cause anger and discontent.
“There is also a lack of access to good education and civic ideals, more young people are restless because there aren’t enough jobs, and there are more criminal groups, such as bandits, kidnappers, and rebels.
“The awful economy has caused a lot of people to be poor, which makes things unsafe. People say, “A hungry man is an angry man,” and “He who is down needs fear no fall.”
“To stay alive, people use a lot of sneaky, criminal-like methods that also make them feel unsafe.”
Hon. Charles Anike, a political activist, said that the bad state of security and infrastructure in many parts of the country should be a big worry for Nigerians who want to do the right thing.
Anike, the National President of the Eastern Union (EU), a socio-political pressure group for the people of the Old Eastern Region, told the Sunday Independent, “The level of insecurity and huge infrastructure decay in the states is clearly too much for the different state governments to handle.”
“The federal government’s increased funding to the states isn’t having the desired effects because corruption in the states is competing with what happens at the federal level.”
“Different studies have shown that insecurity in different states comes from within those states, which is why it is hard to get rid of.
“Infrastructural decay can also be linked to sabotage from within.” People that work for the federal government have put people in charge of different states.
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