30th July 2025, NewsOrient, Opinion, Column, Governance And Development, Business And Economy, Politics, News
By John Chukwu Anyim

In Nigeria, the gap between the rulers and the ruled is not just economic,it is moral, structural, and increasingly dangerous. A nation endowed with vast natural and human resources finds itself entangled in a web of poverty, debt, unemployment, and infrastructural decay.

At the center of this paradox lies a political class that thrives on government wastage, feeding fat on loopholes, impunity, and the unchecked misuse of public funds.

A Culture of Excess

From bulletproof convoys to extravagant foreign medical trips, from wardrobe allowances to constituency projects that never see the light of day, the Nigerian political elite has normalized a culture of waste. These expenditures are not borne out of necessity but out of a deliberate detachment from the realities of the average Nigerian. What should serve the collective good has been privatized in the name of “official entitlements.”

The annual budget reveals this rot: billions are allocated to the upkeep of a few, while hospitals remain under-equipped and schools turn into deathtraps. Government houses, offices, and guest residences are constantly refurbished at bloated costs, while pensioners die waiting for stipends. The line between public service and personal enrichment has been blurred.

Wastage Disguised as Governance

Much of the political class’s wealth comes from systems designed to allow waste. Take for example:

Multiple Allowances: Lawmakers in Nigeria earn among the highest salaries in the world, not including a variety of allowances, for newspapers, wardrobe, hardship, domestic staff, and even recess.

Inflated Contracts: Infrastructure projects are routinely awarded at exaggerated prices, often to companies owned by allies or cronies, with substandard or incomplete delivery.

Ghost Workers and Agencies: The civil service, a bloated and politicized arm of governance, is replete with ghost workers, duplicated roles, and redundant agencies, all sustained by public funds.

Foreign Junkets and Medical Tourism: Rather than fix the failing healthcare and education systems, political leaders opt for expensive trips abroad, funded by taxpayers, under the guise of “official visits” or medical care.

The Real Cost of Government Waste

This waste is not just financial, it is social. Every misused naira is a classroom not built, a road not repaired, a life not saved. It erodes public trust in governance and fuels resentment, hopelessness, and youth disillusionment. The direct consequence is rising insecurity, brain drain, and a growing disconnect between the state and its people.

Nigeria borrows trillions yearly to fund its budget, yet a significant portion goes into recurrent expenditures and the comfort of politicians. The citizens, on the other hand, are expected to “tighten their belts” under the pretense of economic reform.

Accountability as an Afterthought

Efforts to curb this wastage are often weak, cosmetic, or politicized. Anti-corruption agencies are either underfunded, over-politicized, or stifled by legal bottlenecks. The political class has effectively built a fortress of immunity around itself, with party defections often serving as a shortcut to escape prosecution.

Furthermore, citizens’ calls for accountability are frequently met with intimidation or silence. Whistleblowers face danger, and investigative journalism is often resisted rather than rewarded.

The Way Forward

Curbing the wastage that sustains Nigeria’s political class requires:

1. A National Audit Culture: Every agency and public office must undergo regular, independent financial audits, with findings made public.
2. Radical Fiscal Reform: Cut down on allowances, eliminate ghost agencies, and prioritize capital expenditure over recurrent waste.
3. Political Will and Legal Reform: Strengthen institutions, remove immunity for public officers on financial crimes, and enforce jail terms for corrupt officials.
4. Civic Pressure: The electorate must move beyond tribalism and tokenism to demand real accountability. Citizens must vote out extravagance and incompetence.
5. Youth Inclusion: A new generation of leaders, with a mindset of service, transparency, and innovation, must be empowered to take the reins of leadership.

Conclusion

Nigeria cannot afford to keep financing the lifestyles of a political elite detached from the suffering of the masses. The cost of this continued wastage is too high, economically, socially, and morally. Until governance is redefined as a call to service rather than an opportunity for self-enrichment, the cycle of waste will remain unbroken, and the hope for national transformation will remain a mirage.

John Chukwu Anyim is a public affairs commentator