The Kwara State Government spent ₦726.2 million on honoraria, sitting allowances, and administrative refreshments for public officials within the first nine months of 2026, according to official data published in the state’s Third Quarter (Q3) Budget Performance Report.
The expenditure analysis reveals a stark contrast in fiscal priorities, as the state government recorded zero expenditure on maintaining state-funded creches or early childhood care facilities across Kwara during the same nine-month period.
The disclosures have sparked public debate among civil society organizations and accountability watchdogs regarding executive spending priorities under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration.
Financial disclosures from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development show that government spending on official hospitality and allowances was sustained across all three quarters:
Second Quarter Surge: During Q2 (April to June), the state recorded its highest quarterly outlay on hospitality, spending ₦251.7 million on honoraria and ₦50.4 million on refreshments.
Third Quarter Outflow: In Q3 (July to September), the administration expended an additional ₦161.7 million on official allowances and ₦45.4 million on refreshments.
The report highlights that the total amount spent on administrative hospitality and sitting allowances in nine months is equivalent to hundreds of years of income for a minimum wage worker earning ₦70,000 monthly.
Civic groups and child welfare advocates pointed out that while executive hospitality received over ₦720 million, state-funded food and nutrition programs received only ₦16.7 million, with government-run creche facilities receiving no operational funding.
While state officials have yet to issue a dedicated press statement addressing the specific comparison, government spokespersons previously maintained that budget performance figures represent routine operational costs associated with running state boards, statutory commissions, stakeholder engagements, and inter-agency governance meetings across the 16 Local Government Areas.
The Kwara State House of Assembly is expected to review the Q3 budget execution metrics ahead of the upcoming 2027 fiscal budget presentation.