By Isaac Mission
The 2026 budget of the Federal Co-operative College, Oji River, Enugu State, contains about N9.887 billion worth of projects involving vehicles, buses, motorcycles, tricycles, boats and other empowerment items across different parts of Nigeria.
The allocations, contained in the 2,790-page 2026 Appropriation Act, have raised questions about the suitability of the college as the implementing agency for projects that appear largely unrelated to its core academic mandate.
The Federal Co-operative College, Oji River, is primarily responsible for academic and professional training in cooperative education, management and related fields. However, several projects listed under its capital expenditure involve constituency-style interventions across numerous states.
The college received a total budgetary allocation of N226.77 billion for 2026, with about N225.63 billion earmarked for capital expenditure. Of the capital provision, N9.887 billion is tied to projects spread across different geopolitical zones.
Among the major allocations is N2.1 billion for the purchase and provision of utility and other vehicles intended to support farmers, farmer guards and distribution agents involved in agricultural value chains.
Another N630 million is earmarked for security vehicles to support patrols in selected farming communities in the South-South, while a further N630 million is allocated for the procurement and distribution of outboard boat engines to youths in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The budget also includes N350 million for youth, women and men empowerment in Owan, Edo State, covering items such as sewing machines, motorcycles, refrigerators, grinding machines, freezers and generators.
A separate N350 million allocation is provided for motorcycles intended to improve the livelihoods of youths in selected communities in Akko Federal Constituency of Gombe State.
In Ogun State, N350 million is allocated for fairly used and new vehicles for transportation programmes in Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, while another N350 million is earmarked for an ambulance, generator and medical equipment for an intensive care and amenities centre in Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State.
The college’s budget also provides N350 million for the purchase and distribution of CNG minibuses for youth empowerment in Enugu State.
Several projects are also listed for Delta South Senatorial District, including N140 million each for farmers’ tricycles for women and youths, motorcycles, motor cars and boats for fishermen.
In Lagos State, N210 million is allocated for mini pickups and minibuses for the transportation of agricultural produce in Oshodi/Isolo II, while N70 million is provided for tricycles and minibuses for youth and women empowerment in Okota.
Another N70 million is allocated for vehicles for traditional rulers in selected clans within the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory.
The budget contains several other empowerment-related allocations across the country. In Kebbi State, funds are earmarked for motorcycles and tricycles in various local government areas, while Sokoto State has allocations covering vehicles, motorcycles and logistics for programmes targeting nomadic and out-of-school children.
Katsina Central Senatorial District also received N175 million for motorcycles, while projects worth hundreds of millions of naira were listed for empowerment initiatives across communities in the North-West.
The South-East also features prominently in the allocations. In Anambra State, N14 million is provided for tricycles and motorcycles in Idemili North and South Federal Constituency, while N105 million is allocated for a Toyota Hilux for community service in Umuoba Anam.
Another N175 million is earmarked for refrigerators, grains, motorcycles and grants for youths in Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Okpoko and surrounding areas.
In Ebonyi State, N105 million is provided for minibuses and refrigerators in Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency. Additional allocations cover motorcycles, tricycles and cargo tricycles for youths and farmers in other constituencies.
Abia State also features several projects, including N140 million for sewing machines, grinding machines and tricycles for women and youths in Aba North and South Federal Constituency. Another N140 million is allocated for minibuses and tricycle trucks for farmers in rural communities within the constituency.
In Enugu State, N7 million is allocated for tricycles for youths in Ezeagu/Udi, in addition to the N350 million CNG minibuses programme.
Other states, including Imo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kwara and Edo, also have projects listed under the college’s 2026 budget involving vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, boats, tractors and other empowerment materials.
The inclusion of these projects under the Federal Co-operative College has raised concerns over the practice of assigning constituency-style projects to ministries, departments, agencies and tertiary institutions whose statutory responsibilities may not directly correspond with the interventions.
Critics argue that placing such projects under an academic institution can make it difficult for members of the public to establish which lawmakers sponsored individual interventions, while leaving the institution as the formal implementing agency.
The projects also span locations far outside Enugu State, covering communities across virtually every geopolitical zone.
The development has renewed questions about the transparency and structure of constituency projects in Nigeria’s federal budget, particularly where large-scale empowerment and infrastructure programmes are embedded within the budgets of institutions established for different purposes.
