As residents queue for water and children learn in overcrowded classrooms, Nasarawa State’s budget tells a stark story of misplaced priorities—one in which comfort for the political class appears to outweigh investment in survival and opportunity for ordinary citizens. For communities navigating thirst, illness and poverty, the figures raise an unsettling question: in a state with scarce resources and deep social needs, who exactly is the government spending for?
A review of Nasarawa State’s third-quarter 2025 budget performance by SaharaReporters shows that the state government spent ₦707 million on refreshments and meals between January and September 2025, even as funding for critical public services lagged far behind.
During the same nine-month period, capital expenditure for the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency stood at just ₦300.5 million, underscoring a stark imbalance between administrative spending and investment in essential infrastructure.
The spending pattern has drawn sharp criticism from residents; many of whom say access to clean and potable water remains a daily struggle across large parts of the state.
“We barely get clean water. Even the people who sell water in jerrycans complain that it has become difficult to find water,” a resident of the Masaka area told SaharaReporters.
“The government promises to us have failed,” the resident added.
In Karu, another resident described water scarcity as both alarming and exhausting.
“When you find any place with water, it feels like you have found gold. It is very frustrating,” the resident said.
The findings align with earlier budget reviews by SaharaReporters that raised questions about the state’s spending priorities. An analysis of the Nasarawa State Government’s approved 2025 budget revealed that ₦2 billion was allocated for the extension and renovation of the State House of Assembly complex in Lafia.
Budget documents show that ₦1 billion was earmarked for extending the Assembly office building, while another ₦1 billion was allocated for renovation. By comparison, constituency projects—including borehole repairs, primary healthcare centres (PHCs), and road works—received ₦960 million, less than half the amount set aside for the Assembly complex.
Further analysis indicates that while ₦2 billion was committed to legislative infrastructure, the construction of three-block classroom buildings across the state was budgeted at ₦665 million. This suggests that the funds allocated to the Assembly project could have financed at least three similar classroom blocks, potentially expanding access to education.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Multidimensional Poverty Index, 39 percent of school-age children in Nasarawa State lack access to education, highlighting the scale of the state’s education deficit.
Healthcare spending also reflects similar contrasts. While ₦2 billion was budgeted for the Assembly complex, only ₦1.5 billion was allocated for the construction of primary healthcare centres statewide. An additional ₦1.3 billion was set aside for the renovation of existing PHCs, while ₦400 million was earmarked for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
For residents grappling with water shortages, limited healthcare access, and overcrowded classrooms, the figures have reinforced concerns that public funds are being diverted toward administrative comforts at the expense of basic needs.
