EXCLUSIVE: RMAFC Bleeds Public Coffers with Lavish Spending on Travel, Meals, and Welfare—Budget Documents Reveal

Secrets Reporters

In what may be described as a classic case of “spending like drunken sailors,” the Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu-led Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC)—the federal agency charged with ensuring fiscal discipline across Nigeria—has itself emerged as a poster child for questionable expenditure patterns, according to a budget performance document exclusively obtained by SecretsReporters.

The document, covering the period from January to October 2024, exposes a pattern of high-level spending under overhead costs, raising red flags over the Commission’s true commitment to fiscal prudence. The RMAFC, established under Decree No. 49 of 1989 and now codified under CAP R7 LFN 2004 pursuant to Section 153(1) of the 1999 Constitution, is one of Nigeria’s 14 Federal Executive Bodies. Ironically, its statutory mandate includes advising the Federal Government on revenue allocation, cost of governance, and economic efficiency. Yet, if the figures unearthed are any indication, the Commission appears to be drinking from a chalice it was meant to smash.

Lavish Travels and Training Sprees

The Commission’s local travel and training expenses alone paint a picture of an agency in overdrive. A whopping ₦65 million was budgeted for “Local Travel and Transport: Training.” Out of this, ₦54.1 million was released, and a staggering ₦53.9 million was spent—leaving less than ₦300,000 in unutilized funds.

Not to be outdone, an even larger sum of ₦241.3 million was earmarked for “Local Travel and Transport: Others.” By October, ₦201 million had been released, with nearly all—₦200.9 million—burnt through.

In addition, ₦60 million was budgeted for “Local Training,” with ₦50 million released and ₦49.9 million spent. These figures suggest a relentless travel and training schedule, yet with no publicly measurable outcomes or reports indicating enhanced capacity or improved service delivery.

Welfare and Refreshments: A Taste for the Lavish

The RMAFC’s appetite was not limited to logistics. Under “Welfare Packages,” the Commission budgeted ₦25.4 million, received ₦21.1 million, but somehow managed to spend ₦21.3 million—overshooting the released funds by over ₦196,000. The arithmetic may be fuzzy, but the taste for indulgence is clear.

“Refreshment and Meals” also consumed a healthy chunk of taxpayer funds. We gathered that ₦25.8 million was budgeted, ₦21.5 million released, and ₦21.35 million spent. Further findings revealed that ₦5.6 million was budgeted for “honorarium & sitting allowance” with ₦4.7 million released and spent almost to the last naira. It seems no meeting was complete without gourmet service.

Paper, Lawyers, and Guards: No Expense Spared

Further combing through the financial maze, ₦38.2 million was allocated for “Office Stationery and Computer Consumables.” From this, ₦31.8 million was released, and ₦31.5 million was spent, suggesting a Commission with either an insatiable need for ink and toner or a supply chain demanding deeper scrutiny.

Legal services took another hefty bite out of the budget: ₦48.8 million was earmarked, ₦40.6 million released, and ₦37.1 million spent. Given the absence of major litigations involving the Commission during the period, observers are left wondering if these legal expenditures were to retain an army of lawyers or simply to pad the books.

Even security did not escape the budgetary bonanza. ₦36.5 million was approved for “Security Charges,” with ₦30.4 million released and ₦30.4 million dutifully spent—right down to the last kobo.