By Mercy Aikoye
The Federal Government’s justice sector reforms are being undermined by the non-release and inadequate allocation of funds, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has said.
Fagbemi made the disclosure while presenting the 2026 budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Justice before the House of Representatives Committee on Justice in Abuja.
He explained that the Ministry’s mandate and engagements are anchored on achieving the goals and initiatives outlined in the National Policy on Justice 2024 and its Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
“The persistent non-release and inadequate allocation of funds are major impediments to the effective delivery of justice sector reforms,” Fagbemi said.
He lamented that insufficient budgetary allocations and delays in the release of appropriated funds have significantly constrained the Ministry’s capacity to execute critical projects and deliver essential services to Nigerians.
Despite funding challenges, the Ministry has recorded reforms in criminal justice administration, counter-terrorism efforts, and progress towards exiting the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. Fagbemi also highlighted strides in asset recovery and financial management.
The Ministry received N6,675,702,827.32 out of N7,499,524,027 appropriated for overhead costs over a ten-month period, representing 82 per cent performance.
For capital expenditure, the Ministry was issued a warrant of N869,630,896.30 out of a total capital allocation of N6,749,616,425 — representing just 12 per cent performance.
Fagbemi added that the Ministry received no funding for its 2025 capital projects, stressing that the funding constraints are not peculiar to the Ministry of Justice alone. The Minister revealed that the Ministry has earmarked N23,680,142,209.50 for 2026, covering personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures.
Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Olumide Osoba, assured that the Committee would thoroughly scrutinise the Ministry’s budget estimates and those of its agencies to ensure that justice sector reforms are not hampered by inadequate funding.
Osoba also pledged that the Committee would exercise effective oversight over funds approved in the Ministry’s annual budgets to guarantee accountability and optimal utilisation.
