NASS to Meet Bola Ahmed Tinubu Over Security Funding Gaps, Seeks Review of Envelope Budgeting System
The National Assembly has disclosed plans to formally engage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over persistent funding challenges facing security and intelligence agencies, particularly the non-release of capital allocations in the current fiscal year.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Intelligence, Yahaya Abdullahi, made the disclosure after a closed-door session with key security and intelligence institutions, acknowledging that the issue of non-release of capital funds extends beyond defence and intelligence agencies to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the board.
He explained that following reports received from relevant committees, the panel would convene to develop comprehensive strategies to address the funding gaps, especially in the context of the 2026 fiscal year.
Abdullahi stressed that President Tinubu’s earlier declaration of a national emergency on security must be matched with adequate financial backing to avoid becoming merely symbolic.
“President Tinubu had declared that emergency, and therefore, if there is an emergency, there should be funding to back up that emergency. So we will have to come up with strategies to ensure that the words and declaration of the President do not go in vain,” he said.
He added that the committee was prepared to engage the leadership of the National Assembly to seek direct audience with the President in order to present the plight of security and intelligence agencies and recommend appropriate steps to ensure they are adequately funded to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
According to the lawmaker, 2026 will be a critical year for Nigeria’s democracy, particularly against the backdrop of prevailing security challenges. He warned that failure to properly fund security institutions could pose serious risks as the country moves closer to the next general elections.
Abdullahi further disclosed that the National Assembly may approach the President through its leadership to present a harmonised position from both chambers on the issue.
Lawmakers Question Envelope Budgeting Framework
On the controversial envelope budgeting system, the committee chairman expressed strong reservations, describing it as outdated and no longer reflective of present national realities.
He noted that the system was introduced during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at a time of fiscal constraints driven by declining oil revenues and was conceived as a temporary measure.
“This envelope system was developed years ago when I was in the civil service, and I think it has outlived its usefulness. We are not budgeting based on needs; we are budgeting based on available money. The issue is not just about less money, but about properly funding institutional priorities rather than merely allocating funds within fixed ceilings,” he said.
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Abdullahi argued that current national challenges require a needs-based budgeting framework that aligns allocations with strategic priorities, especially in critical sectors such as security.
He disclosed that the committee would engage the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office of the Federation to reassess the continued relevance of the envelope system and explore reforms that better reflect Nigeria’s fiscal and security realities.
The committee, he added, has concluded its preliminary reviews and is preparing formal reports for submission to the Appropriation Committee and the leadership of the National Assembly for further legislative action.
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