Almajiri Commission says budget items are Assembly projects

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children's Education clarified on Tuesday that controversial projects in its 2026 budget are not its own initiatives but are constituency projects assigned by the National Assembly. The commission stated it is legally obligated to implement these projects as part of the enacted federal budget.

This clarification follows public scrutiny over budget entries assigned to the commission that appeared unrelated to its core mandate of addressing Nigeria's out-of-school children crisis and reforming the Almajiri education system. In a statement issued by spokesperson Nura Muhammad, the commission explained that assigning constituency projects to ministries, departments, and agencies for execution is a longstanding feature of the federal budgeting process. Once such projects are included in the Appropriation Act, the implementing agency must carry them out in compliance with financial and procurement regulations.

The commission stressed that its statutory responsibilities remain unchanged. It reaffirmed its commitment to coordinating national efforts to reform the Almajiri system, reduce the number of out-of-school children, and...