The National Library of Nigeria spent a whopping N13 million to produce its budget over the last three years.
A Guardian scrutiny of the National Library’s budgets from 2022 to 2024 reveals a steady rise in the annual budget administrative costs, from N2 million to N7 million.
Notably, the budget documents have remained remarkably concise, spanning no more than three pages during this period.
Analyses of the Appropriation Acts indicated that the expenditure for annual budget preparation and administration was N2 million in 2022, N4 million in 2023, and N7 million in the current 2024 budget, which runs until June this year.
This development implies that it cost at least N4.33 million to produce one page of the document.
This comes as the National Library has proposed N7 million in the 2025 Appropriation Bill currently before the National Assembly to prepare the 2026 budget.
President Bola Tinubu presented a budget of N49.7 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year to a joint session of the National Assembly in December 2024.
In a chat with The Guardian on Friday, Omole Ibukun, Initiator of the Creative Change Centre, lamented that this is a shocking example of the country’s entrenched corruption, showing a blatant disregard for public accountability and transparency.
He said, “The fact that one page of a budget can cost N4.33 million is an affront to the very concept of public accountability and transparency. It is not only outrageous, it is very audacious because the sheer audacity to put this figure in the budget shows how much we have mindlessly institutionalized corruption in this country.
“While many genuine Nigerians are running book donations projects for public schools that do not have libraries or books in their libraries, this is simply an attempt by the National Library’s top officials to use public funds to enrich themselves, while the majority of young Nigerians struggle to get the basic knowledge they need to participate in society. The fact that our National Library, an institution meant to preserve and promote our cultural heritage, is embroiled in such blatant corruption is a testament to the depth of our corruption legacy.”
Also reacting, public affairs analyst Chibuike Anayo described the spending as excessive, noting that it raises concerns about the library’s budgeting priorities and financial management practices.
“I would react with surprise and concern. Spending N13 million to produce a nine-page, three-year budget seems excessive and inefficient.
“This amount could be better utilized to support the library’s core functions, such as acquiring new books, improving infrastructure, or enhancing programs and services for patrons.
“Additionally, the cost of producing a budget document should be a relatively minor expense, not a substantial one. It raises questions about the library’s budgeting priorities and financial management practices. Transparency and accountability are essential in public institutions, and this expenditure warrants further explanation and justification,” he said.
