N8.05bn budget for Churches, Mosques split Nigerians

…Atiku fumes, queries FG

…Skewed sharing formula attracts criticisms

…As citizens question govt involvement in pilgrimage

…Northern Christian group cries foul

Nigerians are outraged over the discrepancies in the 2026 budget which includes N8.05 billion for churches and mosques.

Public accountability organisation ‘Tracka’ revealed that N1.91 billion was allocated for seven church projects and N6.14 billion for fifty-two mosque projects buried inside ministries that have nothing to do with religion.
According to Tracka, a total of N22.15 billion was earmarked for renovation and furnishing of 106 palaces nationwide.

Similarly, N8 billion was budgeted for projects related to construction, renovation and other related support to churches and mosques across the country in the 2026 budget.

Accordingly, Tracka’s review showed that N1.91 billion was allocated to seven church-related projects, while N6.14 billion was set aside for 52 mosque projects in different parts of the country.

Among the identified projects were a N1 billion allocation for musical and cultural equipment for churches in Bende, Abia State and another N1 billion for solar power installations at mosques in Zamfara State.

However, some church leaders across the country have questioned why the Federal Government would allocate such huge amounts for the construction or evangelistic drive of the Church at a time the country is struggling to meet its budgetary allocation.

Church leaders speak

Taiwo Akinola, Pastor-General, Rhema Christian Church & Towers, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, said that there was a need to consider the issue from both ethical and biblical standpoints.

“As a Christian leader, my primary concern is not the identity of the beneficiary but the principles that govern public expenditure—namely transparency, accountability, justice, and the proper relationship between the State and religious institutions.”

According to him, every expenditure of public funds must be subjected to the highest standards of accountability. He added that public resources belong to the people and should be appropriated, disbursed, and utilised strictly in accordance with the law and the public interest.

“Whether an allocation is made for infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, or a faith-based initiative, citizens are entitled to know why it is necessary, what public purpose it serves, and how accountability will be ensured,” Akinola said.

He added that stewardship is not merely a financial principle; rather a moral obligation for everyone entrusted with public resources.

The cleric disclosed that evangelism is fundamentally the divine mandate of the Church, not of the State. “Our Lord Jesus Christ entrusted this responsibility directly to His disciples in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).”

He added that the proclamation of the Gospel is therefore a sacred responsibility to be undertaken through the commitment, sacrifice, and voluntary generosity of believers, rather than through government patronage.

“Indeed, history demonstrates that the Church has often flourished most when it depended wholly upon God and the willing support of His people,” Akinola said, reiterating that his ministry neither seeks nor receives financial support from government for its evangelistic work.

According to him, the government must ensure that every religious community is free to practise its faith without fear, discrimination, or persecution.

He argued that it is the responsibility of the state to uphold law and order, protect places of worship, and provide a peaceful environment in which all citizens may exercise their constitutional rights.

“As Romans 13:1–4 teaches, civil authority exists to maintain justice and public order, not to administer the spiritual mission of the Church,” he said.

Regarding government budgetary support for religious institutions, Akinola maintained that there is no simplistic answer that applies to every situation.

Akinola said caution becomes imperative whenever public funds are intended for activities designed principally to advance the doctrines of a particular faith.

Nigeria is a constitutionally secular and religiously plural nation. Therefore, it is expected that the government must remain impartial, neither promoting nor inhibiting the religious mission of any faith.

“Such neutrality not only protects religious liberty but also strengthens national cohesion and public confidence,” Akinola said, insisting that the Church itself must equally guard against becoming financially dependent upon government.

He added that whenever the Church becomes financially dependent upon the State, it risks becoming prophetically hesitant before the State.

According to him, the Church best serves the nation when it remains financially responsible to God and morally accountable only to His truth.

“Financial dependence, however well intentioned, may unintentionally weaken the Church’s prophetic independence,” he said.

James Akinadewo, bishop of Lagos, Motailatu Church of God (C&S), said it is the primary responsibility of the Church to train and disciple people for global assignment daily, and that it should not be the concern of the government.

“Infact, we are doing what the government failed to do by providing amenities in communities where the gospel is preached,” he said, adding that the Church must beware of politicians in cassocks.

Akinadewo said that providing budgetary allocation to purchase evangelical instruments and public address systems is politics taken too far on the Church.

“The government should provide amenities for the people, secure lives and properties, not ‘budgetary support’ to deceive the Church and fleece the people,” he said.

Olufemi Popoola, pastor and scholar based in The Netherlands, said that both the Church and the government are important institutions of any country.

According to him, both have long existed, and that it is important to note that both are distinct in their establishment and purpose.

“There are cases and places where Christianity has been made to serve as a state religion. In such cases, there can be room for the government to be involved in the evangelistic drive of the church.”

However, in a place like Nigeria which is a secular state going by the constitution of Nigeria, it goes against the tenet of Christianity and the rule of law for the state to take as its responsibility the activities that pertain to the church.

According to Popoola, some Christian denominations clearly stated in their articles of faith that there is separation between the Church and the State.

“In a secular state, it will be illegal for any government official to use the State apparatus for evangelistic drive.”

Government support for religious institutions

In Nigeria, it is a common practice for the government and by extension politicians at various levels to give support to religious institutions such as sending people on pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem, among other places by way of sponsorships.

Most times the government’s sponsorship is routed through the Pilgrim boards, while in some cases the government selects beneficiaries for direct sponsorship.

However, many Nigerians continue to question the motive of the state’s sponsorship of pilgrimages on the back of Nigeria being a secular state and religious practices being considered private to each citizen.

“I will want to say that there can be some justification for the government to support religious institutions, but not in all cases,” Popoola said.

He however, posited that using the state money to fund pilgrimage to the ‘Holy Lands’ is unjustifiable and should be stopped.

“Where the government decides to provide budgetary support for religious institutions, there should be the backing of the law and this should follow due process, not something done in secrecy.

“This should also cut across the board. Anything sort of this is tantamount to illegality, corruption and abuse of power,” he said.

Nigerians weigh in on the matter

For millions of Nigerians struggling to pay hospital bills, keep their children in school or find decent jobs, the controversy over the Federal Government’s decision to earmark N8.05 billion for churches and mosques is about more than religion, it is about survival.

They also questioned why many of the projects were placed under ministries and agencies with no statutory responsibility for religious affairs, raising concerns over transparency and accountability.

Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, described the allocations as inappropriate at a time many Nigerians are battling economic hardship.

He challenged the Federal Government to publish the names of all beneficiary churches and mosques, project locations, implementing agencies and the legal basis for the spending.

According to Atiku, religion occupies a sacred place in society but should never be used to shield public expenditure from scrutiny.

David Etim, Project Lead, Calabar and Gulf of Guinea Municipal and Trade Centre, stated that the issue is not whether churches and mosques are important, but whether they should rank above hospitals, schools and industries when millions remain trapped in poverty.

According to him, Nigeria currently has over 140 million people living in multidimensional poverty.

“If the government has to choose between building a church and building a hospital or a school that will improve the lives of thousands of people, I believe God Himself would appreciate the investment in human lives.”

Daniel Adeyemi, a public affairs analyst
shared a similar view, saying the controversy should not be framed as an attack on religion.

“This conversation is really about priorities,” he said. “Places of worship already exist in virtually every community, but many hospitals cannot provide basic healthcare, public schools are overstretched.”

According to him, millions of young Nigerians are searching for jobs. Therefore, the government has a responsibility to channel scarce resources to areas that improve people’s quality of life.

Adeyemi added that religious organisations have continued to complement government efforts in education, healthcare and humanitarian services, but argued that public spending must reflect the country’s most urgent development needs.

However, not everyone believes the religious allocations are the central issue.

The Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) said the N8.05 billion represents only a tiny fraction of the proposed N68.32 trillion budget.

The organisation argued that Nigeria’s bigger fiscal challenge is its N31.45 trillion budget deficit and the N15.8 trillion earmarked for debt servicing, warning that rising borrowing poses a greater threat to the economy.

Still, AERE questioned why religious projects were inserted into the budgets of ministries without mandates for such activities, saying the practice undermines transparency and public confidence.

Meanwhile, Lanre Adebowale, a Lagos PDP chieftain, alleged that the allocations could be politically motivated ahead of the 2027 elections, although the ruling APC has dismissed the claim.

Beyond the political exchanges, however, many Nigerians see the debate through a different lens.

As families struggle with rising living costs, insecurity and shrinking opportunities, they say the real question is not whether churches and mosques deserve support, but that public funds should first be used to build healthier communities, educate children and create jobs that give people hope for a better future.

In Kalu’s defense

The Federal Government has defended the spending. Also, Benjamin Kalu, the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, clarified that the N780 million was allocated in the 2026 budget for a youth re-orientation programme in the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, and not the widely reported N1billion for musical instruments.

His office addressed the controversy by stating the following. The Actual Figure: The allocation is N780 million after Value Added Tax (VAT) and statutory deductions, rather than the billion reported.

Budget Intent: The funds are designated for a youth re-orientation program to be implemented via faith-based organisations to combat narcotics, sexual offenses, and violent crimes.

Procurement: The money is intended to purchase evangelical instruments and public address systems for over 130 churches in the first phase, providing roughly N5 million to N}6 million per church.

Budget Status & Errors: Kalu noted that the 2026 budget has not yet been implemented, and his office initiated a correction (corrigendum) for a “technical error” in the budget’s procurement.

Northern Christian Group cries foul

Meanwhile, Northern Christian Group under the auspices of the Northern Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redirect the reported over N8 billion earmarked in the proposed 2026 Federal Budget for the construction, renovation and equipping of churches and mosques to security, infrastructure, job creation and other sectors capable of stimulating economic growth and improving citizens’ welfare.

In a statement signed and made available to journalists by its Chairman, Sunday Oibe,
NOSCEF described the reported budgetary allocation as “ill-timed, unnecessary and inconsistent with Nigeria’s pressing national priorities.”

The Forum argued that investing public resources in critical sectors such as security, agriculture, healthcare, education and infrastructure would have a greater economic impact by restoring farming activities, attracting investments, creating employment and reducing poverty than spending scarce resources on places of worship.

According to the group, millions of Nigerians are battling insecurity, hunger, poverty and unemployment, making it difficult to justify public spending on religious buildings.

“At a time when millions of Nigerians are battling insecurity, hunger, poverty and unemployment, it is difficult to justify the use of scarce public resources for the renovation or construction of places of worship,” the statement said.

NOSCEF maintained that churches and mosques should be funded through voluntary contributions by their members rather than government allocations.

“Religion is a personal matter and should remain the responsibility of its adherents.

Churches and mosques are sustained by the faithful who worship in them, not by government. Taxpayers’ money should be devoted to projects that directly improve the lives, safety and welfare of all Nigerians,” the forum stated.

The forum noted that “The issue goes beyond whether one faith benefits more than another. Rather, it raises fundamental questions about government priorities and constitutional principles.”

NOSCEF argued that government financing of religious buildings appeared inconsistent with Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits the adoption of any religion as a state religion.

The group also questioned what provisions would be made for adherents of African Traditional Religion and other faiths if government funds were used to support churches and mosques.

“Our position is not against Christianity or Islam. We believe government should maintain neutrality in matters of religion and concentrate on its constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives and property, promoting justice and providing infrastructure and economic opportunities for all citizens,” the statement added.

Highlighting Nigeria’s security challenges, the forum noted that many communities across the country continue to suffer attacks by bandits, terrorists and other criminal groups, leading to killings, kidnappings and mass displacement.

“What Nigerians are asking from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is the restoration of peace and security across the country. We need our communities back. We need our farmlands back. We need our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, schoolchildren and teachers who remain in captivity to be rescued and reunited with their families,” NOSCEF said.

The forum further called for lasting security across the North-West, North-Central, North-East, South-East, South-South and South-West, insisting that such priorities deserve greater government attention and funding.

It appealed to President Tinubu to review the reported budget provision and redirect the funds toward strengthening national security, supporting victims of violence, improving healthcare and education, expanding infrastructure, combating hunger and creating employment opportunities.

NOSCEF also cautioned political leaders against policies capable of heightening religious tension.

“As Christian elders, we respectfully urge Mr. President to reconsider this proposal. Government should allow churches, mosques and other religious bodies to maintain their places of worship through the voluntary contributions of their members, while public resources are invested in programmes that benefit every Nigerian irrespective of faith,” the statement concluded.

The forum described its intervention as sincere counsel aimed at promoting a peaceful, secure and economically prosperous Nigeria, expressing hope that the President would give the appeal thoughtful consideration in the overall national interest.