A civil society organisation (CSO), MonITNG, has raised concerns among Nigerians regarding a ₦2 billion allocation in the 2025 Federal Budget for a land and bush clearing project under the Presidency.

The CSO criticised the project, overseen by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) and tagged with the code ERGP1224383, for its alleged lack of transparency and potential for misuse of public funds.

In a statement shared on X, the CSO described the allocation as suspicious and vague, adding that no specific location was stated for the land and bush clearing project.

“How can citizens or oversight bodies track a project that has no specified site? Such ambiguity makes it impossible to monitor and opens the door for corruption and mismanagement.

“Land and bush clearing is an important part of agricultural development, but when ₦2 billion is allocated without clear details, it ceases to be development and becomes a potential avenue for budgetary abuse. Without knowing which farms are to be cleared, where they are located, how many hectares are involved, or which communities will benefit, the project becomes a blank cheque,” the CSO noted.

It, however, noted that the allocated N2 billion can be diverted into providing tractors and mechanised tools to farmers, building irrigation systems to boost productivity, constructing storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses, or improving rural access roads.

MonITNG added that this allocation is an example of padded projects and including projects that cannot be tracked by citizens or auditors in the budget.

Speaking on the implications of padding projects into the project, the CSO noted that beneficiaries of agricultural interventions, farmers in rural communities, remain in poverty, struggling with outdated methods anda lack of government support, while projects like the land clearing projects enjoy huge allocations.

“Budgets are meant to serve as a bridge between government promises and citizens’ realities. That bridge collapses when allocations lack transparency, specificity, and accountability. This project undermines trust in the budgeting process and raises critical questions about priorities under the Presidency.

“Nigerians deserve answers: Which states will benefit? How many hectares of farmland are targeted? Who are the intended beneficiaries? What oversight framework exists to guarantee value for money? Until these questions are answered, ₦2 billion remains at risk of vanishing without trace,” it added.

The CSO also urged the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allocation.

“Public funds must not disappear under the guise of ‘land and bush clearing.’ ₦2 billion must deliver real agricultural value, not be lost to vague and untraceable projects.”