Former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), High Chief Peter Ameh, has condemned the Federal Government’s decision to earmark a staggering ₦712 billion for the renovation of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, calling it a glaring example of misplaced priorities at a time when Nigeria is sinking deeper into debt and economic hardship.
“I woke up and saw it trending—₦712 billion to renovate an already functioning airport. It’s another white elephant project, and frankly, an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians,” he said.
Nigeria is grappling with one of the worst debt crises in its history, with public debt surging to over ₦121 trillion as of mid-2025. In 2024 alone, the country spent more than 96% of its revenue servicing existing debt, leaving little room for capital investments in productive sectors like agriculture, education, or healthcare. The cost of borrowing has spiked, and external lenders are becoming more cautious, yet government expenditure continues to balloon—often on projects with questionable value.
“We are misappropriating resources, and we’re doing it blindly. This is a country that should be investing in agriculture and industry, not in vanity projects that yield no economic return,” Ameh stated.
Chief Ameh warned that Nigeria’s public health sector is on life support, with federal hospitals running without essential drugs, doctors, or nurses. Similarly, the education system has lost its relevance, with deteriorating facilities and mass youth unemployment.
Meanwhile, the government is spending trillions elsewhere. He cited the controversial ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project and the ₦39 billion spent on the National Coverage Centre, which remains largely inaccessible to the public.
“We have over 4,000 kilometers of bad federal roads, hospitals that can’t save lives, and schools that can’t teach. But someone wakes up and approves ₦712 billion for airport renovation? What kind of governance is this?”
Ameh raised alarm over how many of these huge capital projects are being executed through “Presidential Assets”, bypassing the National Assembly and undermining constitutional checks and balances.
“The Constitution mandates appropriation through the legislature for a reason. Power in one man’s hand is dangerous. Nigerians must demand transparency and stop accepting government by impulse,” he added.
Over 65% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty, and 76% of rural communities face multi-dimensional deprivation. The country has fewer than 1,000 active industries, and youth unemployment is at a record high.
“We should be using that ₦712 billion to create jobs, process agricultural goods, build rural roads, and fix healthcare. We have land. We have people. But we lack a government that understands where our real strength lies,” Ameh said.
He ended with a rallying call for citizens not to be silent:
“Nigerians, wake up. Stop having a short attention span. They are spending your money without accountability. This is not leadership. This is sabotage.”