Nigeria spends N32.8trn on defence in 15 years as insecurity persists

Nigeria has spent about N32.88 trillion on defence in the last 15 years, roughly 12.5 percent of total national budgets of N262.834 trillion over the period, yet insecurity remains widespread across the country .

Based on official budget exchange rates, the N32.88 trillion translates to about 44.64 billion dollars, but communities across several regions still face insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and oil related violence .

Security trackers estimate that more than 100,000 Nigerians have been killed in violent incidents and conflict related attacks since 2012, with thousands abducted and millions displaced from their homes .

In 2026 alone, at least 1,091 people were reported killed in violent attacks in the first 41 days of the year, while about 3.726 million Nigerians are currently displaced and living in roughly 3,900 camps nationwide .

The recent suicide bombings in Maiduguri, Borno State, which killed and injured many residents, have reinforced concerns about the effectiveness of defence spending .

Against this backdrop, the National Assembly has intensified scrutiny of defence allocations as lawmakers work toward passing the N58.47 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill by March 31 .

The proposed 2026 budget includes about N5.41 trillion for defence and security, making it one of the largest sectoral allocations, with the Ministry of Defence alone expected to receive around N3.154 trillion for personnel, capital projects and operations .

In 2025, defence and security already took about N6.57 trillion, underscoring a rising trend in security related spending as government tries to tackle multiple threats across the country .

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the upper chamber is pushing to pass the 2026 budget before March 31 after all committees submit and harmonise their reports, warning that delays could undermine ongoing military operations .

In the House of Representatives, the Committees on Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force are reviewing the defence proposals, focusing on troop welfare, logistics, intelligence and equipment procurement, and insisting that higher allocations must deliver measurable security improvements .

The renewed legislative attention comes as Nigeria continues to battle insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West, deadly attacks in the North Central, oil theft in the Niger Delta and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea .

During the defence of the 2026 budget at the National Assembly, Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede told lawmakers that the Armed Forces alone cannot solve Nigeria’s security problems and called for urgent strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps .

He said the police and civil defence have wider community presence and larger numbers, and if properly strengthened can effectively secure communities where the military has cleared insurgents and criminal gangs .

Oluyede highlighted the strain on troops deployed across multiple theatres, noting that soldiers hardly get rest and that recruiting more personnel requires additional investments in housing, logistics and welfare .

He disclosed that special forces have been deployed to Benue and Plateau States to tackle persistent violence in the Middle Belt, with plans to send more troops to Kwara and parts of Niger State under a new joint operation called Operation Savannah Shield .

The CDS said resources are being pulled from other theatres to reinforce this operation, while efforts continue to stabilise the North East, where conditions have improved, even as serious challenges persist in the North West and parts of the North Central .

Oluyede also revealed that Nigeria is working with foreign partners to strengthen intelligence gathering but stressed that such cooperation is being carefully managed in line with President Bola Tinubu’s guidelines to protect national sovereignty .

Chairman of the House Committee on Defence Babajimi Benson said security cannot be achieved by force and funding alone and called for deeper institutional reforms, better coordination and a whole of government, whole of society approach to peace and stability .

He warned that input based budgeting without clear results is no longer acceptable and said Nigerians expect safer communities, restored livelihoods and renewed confidence in the state, not just bigger defence figures on paper .

As lawmakers continue to examine the defence numbers when they reconvene from recess, attention will focus not only on the final size of allocations and oversight conditions but also on whether years of rising spending will finally translate into real security gains for ordinary citizens .