Kwara spends 865 years’ worth of minimum wage on meals, allowances in nine months

The Kwara State Government spent approximately ₦726.5 million on refreshments, meals, honoraria and sitting allowances for officials between January and September 2026, according to its latest budget performance report.

An investigation by Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) revealed that the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq spent ₦587.9 million on honoraria and sitting allowances, while refreshments and meals accounted for ₦138.6 million. Foundation For Investigative Journalism+1

The figures were published in the state’s third-quarter budget implementation report released on Wednesday.

Between April and June, the government spent ₦251.7 million on honoraria and allowances and ₦50.4 million on refreshments.

In the third quarter, spending reached ₦161.7 million and ₦45.4 million, respectively.

However, the report showed no expenditure on crèche maintenance despite a ₦5.6 million budgetary provision.

Similarly, only ₦16.7 million was spent on food and nutrition programmes during the nine-month period.

The ₦726.5 million expenditure is equivalent to approximately 865 years of earnings for a worker receiving Nigeria’s ₦70,000 monthly minimum wage, assuming the entire salary is saved.

The findings have renewed questions about government spending priorities amid economic hardship affecting residents.

FIJ previously reported that Kwara’s 2025 budget proposed ₦1.57 billion for vehicles, furniture, kitchen equipment and other projects.

The latest disclosures highlight the contrast between administrative expenditure and spending on selected public welfare programmes in the state.

The budget figures do not, however, establish whether the expenditures breached procurement rules or financial regulations.