Abuja: Stakeholders in the budget sector have called for stronger institutional and accountability frameworks to ensure that approved budgets translate into tangible services for Nigerians at the ‘last mile’. Speaking at the opening of the PULSE Summit 2026 in Abuja, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, emphasized that Nigeria must move beyond merely approving budgets to actively delivering them.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the summit, themed ‘From Approved Budgets to the Last Mile: Examining Budget Implementation in Nigeria,’ was organized by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) Nigeria, a non-governmental organization focused on enhancing transparency and efficiency in government budgets. Oyedele highlighted the crucial distinction between an approved budget and a delivered one, noting that while an approved budget is merely a document, its true value lies in its execution, impacting essential services like healthcare, education, and access to safe drinking water.
Oyedele pointed out that although Nigeria has made progress in budget preparations, classification, and open data, the challenge remains in ensuring that funds effectively reach citizens. He stressed the importance of building institutional and accountability frameworks to ensure resources are not only freed but also effectively utilized.
Dr. Joe Abah, the Regional Director for Africa at DAI, emphasized that citizens perceive government effectiveness through the services they receive rather than budget allocations. He illustrated this by highlighting the experiences of individuals facing inadequate healthcare and overcrowded classrooms, urging for stronger connections between budget approvals, releases, procurement, and sustainable service delivery.
Olayinka Babalola, the Country Director of IBP Nigeria, explained that the summit stemmed from the organization’s nine-year collaboration with community-based groups in Nigeria. She introduced PULSE-Public Finance: Unlocking Last Mile Services, an initiative aimed at linking budget data with citizen experiences to enhance service delivery. Babalola acknowledged the country’s improved macroeconomic indicators, such as a GDP growth of 4.43 and foreign reserves of 53.8 billion dollars, while underscoring the persistent gap between these indicators and the everyday experiences of Nigerians. She advocated for increased citizen participation and independent oversight to ensure public finance benefits all, particularly marginalized communities.