According to BudgIT, in 2024, Nigeria spent half of its assigned women empowerment budget and this year they are doubling down on women’s economic inclusion in its 2026 budget, but past performance suggests a massive leakage between allocation and actual empowerment.

Why It Matters

Nigeria’s economy is running on 50% of its population. Closing the gender gap could have boosted GDP by 23% ($229 billion) in 2025, wealth currently lost to systemic exclusion and fund misappropriation.

The State of Play

Recent fiscal data reveals a massive disconnect between paper budgets and reality:

  • In 2024, only ₦41.86 billion reached women’s programs, despite ₦88.25 billion being allocated.
  • Only 12 of 36 states spent more than half of their allocated women’s budgets.
  • Yobe state led the nation (approximately 93% spent), while Adamawa bottomed out at a mere 4.88%.

By the Numbers

The 2026 budget proposes a 97% increase in funding to ₦154.3 billion. Success depends on proper allocation of resources and reaching 50% of the Nigerian population, where:

Author, Anuoluwa Bukola