The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of marginalising the northern region in federal budget allocations and infrastructure development.
This was disclosed by the ACF Chairman, Bashir Dalhatu, who said the North has been sidelined in key policy decisions and project implementation, despite its significant support for President Tinubu in the 2023 general elections.
Dalhatu said this during a presentation at a two-day interactive session on government-citizen engagement organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna
The ACF cited the 2025 federal budget, where only N24 billion (less than 1%) out of N1.013 trillion allocated to road projects was earmarked for the Northeast region.
Dalhatu emphasised that Northern Nigeria suffers from age-old neglect in transportation infrastructure development, with no major road of strategic importance completed or properly maintained in the last twenty years.
He said, ”In addition to its natural disadvantages, Northern Nigeria also suffers from age-old neglect by the federal government in relation to the development of transportation infrastructure in the country.
“Unlike the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge, not one single road of strategic importance to the North has been completed or even properly maintained in the last twenty years”, he added.
The ACF chieftain also siad, “For example, this year’s federal budget for roads is N1.013 trillion. But of that, a mere N24 billion (or less than 1 %) was allocated to projects in the Northeast.
”It is important to invite the attention of the President to start, re-start, expedite or complete the construction of the major roads that are of great strategic importance to Northern Nigeria.
“This include the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Ilorin- Jebba- Tegina- B/Gwari- Kaduna, Abuja- Lokoja- Okene- Auchi, Zaria- Funtua- Gusau- Sokoto- Ilela, Keffi- Akwanga- Jos- Bauchi- Gombe- Yola, Calabar- Ogoja- Wukari- Numan- Biu- Maiduguri and Wudil- Kafin Hausa- Katagum-Potiskum roads among others.”
The ACF leader also urged the President to prioritise the construction or completion of major roads crucial to Northern Nigeria, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Ilorin-Jebba-Tegina-B/Gwari-
The ACF further criticised the federal government’s poor allocation to agriculture, despite Northern Nigeria’s significant contribution to the nation’s food production.
The ACF recommended scaling up federal budgetary allocation to agriculture and food security to at least 20 per cent of the total budget.
Dalhatu highlighted the skewed budget allocations, citing a press release from the Federal Ministry of Works, which showed significant disparities in allocations to different regions: with Southwest: of have N1.394 trillion, Southeast: N205 billion, Northwest: N105 billion Northeast: N30 billion
