The Federal Government has allocated N2.3 billion in the 2025 budget to cover the entitlements of Nigeria’s former presidents and heads of state, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and others.
Tagged “Entitlements of former presidents/heads of states and vice presidents/chief of general staff”, the allocations also include General Yakubu Gowon who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1966 to 1975, and General Abdulsalmi Abubakar, the country’s last military head of state from 1998 to 1999.
This allocation covers their benefits, pensions, and entitlements as enshrined in Nigerian law.
The funds will cater to various statutory provisions for the nation’s past leaders. These include annual pensions, medical benefits, security, personal staff, and logistics.
The allocation is part of the broader recurrent expenditure under the Federal Government’s budget for the fiscal year 2025, which is projected to hit over N26 trillion.
Under the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) guidelines, former presidents and heads of state are entitled to:
- Annual pensions based on the salary of a serving president or head of state.
- Medical expenses for themselves and their immediate families.
- Residential upkeep, including staff salaries and utilities.
- Transportation and logistics support for both local and international travels.
Atiku, Osinbajo not left out
In addition to former presidents, their deputies are also beneficiaries of the allocations provided in the 2025 budget.
- These include notable figures such as Atiku Abubakar, who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Namadi Sambo, who held the position from 2010 to 2015 under Goodluck Jonathan, and Yemi Osinbajo, who served as Vice President from 2015 to 2023 during Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
- Also included is Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe, who served as the de facto Vice President from 1985 to 1986 under General Ibrahim Babangida. Despite the brevity of his tenure, Ukiwe remains eligible for entitlements under existing government provisions for former top officeholders.
The allocation covers a range of benefits for these former deputies, including pensions, medical care, and allowances for personal aides, security, and official residences.
What you should know
- Nairametrics reports that President Bola Tinubu presented the 2025 budget titled the “Budget of Restoration” to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 18, 2024. The proposed budget outlines an ambitious N49.70 trillion spending plan, focusing on defence, infrastructure, and human capital development.
- The 2025 budget carries a significant projected deficit of N13.39 trillion, to be financed through borrowing.
- Experts argue that failure to address the rising debt burden could push Nigeria further into fiscal instability, risking its credit ratings and making it harder to attract affordable financing.
