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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

Controversial budget items are N’Assembly constituency projects - Almajiri commission

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) clarified that controversial projects in the 2026 budget are National Assembly constituency projects assigned to it for implementation.
  • The commission stated that these projects were not conceived by NCAOOSCE but are part of legislative interventions allocated to various agencies.
  • NCAOOSCE reaffirmed its commitment to its core mandate of reforming the Almajiri education system and addressing the out-of-school children crisis, despite implementing assigned constituency projects.

Nigeria's National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has distanced itself from controversial projects listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act, explaining they were assigned by the National Assembly as constituency projects.

The commission clarified that these projects were not initiated by NCAOOSCE but were allocated to the agency for implementation, a practice common in Nigeria's federal budgeting. The statement followed a report questioning why an agency focused on the Almajiri system and out-of-school children was earmarked for projects seemingly outside its mandate.

The Commission wishes to clarify that these projects are National Assembly constituency projects incorporated into the 2026 Appropriation Act for implementation through the Commission.

— Nura MuhammadClarifying the origin of controversial projects assigned to the commission.

"The Commission wishes to clarify that these projects are National Assembly constituency projects incorporated into the 2026 Appropriation Act for implementation through the Commission," said Nura Muhammad, Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Executive Secretary. He emphasized that once such projects are included in the budget and assigned to an agency, implementation is legally obligated in compliance with financial and procurement regulations.

NCAOOSCE stressed that its statutory mandate remains unchanged. Its core responsibility lies in coordinating national efforts to reform the Almajiri education system and tackle the large population of out-of-school children through policies and programs that expand educational access. The commission highlighted its achievements, including identifying and profiling over 700,000 out-of-school children and establishing 119 learning centers nationwide.

As part of a duly enacted federal budget, every project assigned to the Commission forms part of its implementation responsibilities and will be executed in strict compliance with extant laws, financial regulations and due procurement processes.

— Nura MuhammadStating the commission's obligation to implement assigned projects.
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Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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