Court Orders National Assembly to Reveal N37bn Renovation Spending Details
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the National Assembly to disclose details of how it spent the N37 billion allocated for the renovation of its complex.
Delivering judgment on 9 July, Justice Emeka Nwite upheld the public’s right to know how government funds are used, stressing that withholding such information violates the Freedom of Information Act.
Justice Nwite ruled that concealing the spending records “will not only defeat the very purpose of the Act but encourage corruption and financial recklessness.”
The decision comes amid longstanding criticism of the National Assembly for operating under a veil of secrecy in its financial affairs. For years, the legislature has withheld official details of its annual budget and the earnings of lawmakers, despite public demands for accountability.
Civil society organisations and transparency advocates have repeatedly questioned the N37 billion renovation project, first announced in 2019, describing it as inflated and unnecessary in a country battling pressing economic challenges.
The court’s ruling is seen as a significant milestone in efforts to enforce transparency in government institutions, especially the federal legislature, which has often resisted scrutiny of its expenditures.
