The Federal Government has proposed a total allocation of N87.31bn for the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its agencies in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, with the bulk of the funding directed towards capital expenditure.

Details of the budget proposal show that N70.19bn, representing more than 80 per cent of the total allocation, is earmarked for capital projects. At the same time, N14.78bn is set aside for personnel costs and N2.34bn for overheads.

The document contained no provisions for retained independent revenue or aid and grant funding.

The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development received the highest allocation of N50.65bn, with N48.55bn for capital projects. Personnel and overhead costs were budgeted at N1.35bn and N745.74 million, respectively.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency was allocated N11.84bn, with personnel costs accounting for N9.15bn, overheads N393.73m, and capital expenditure N2.29bn, highlighting the agency’s labour-intensive operations.

Similarly, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, is to receive N11.28bn, comprising N4.28bn for personnel, N464.44m for overheads, and N6.54bn for capital projects.

The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency was allocated N6.3bn, entirely for capital expenditure, with no provision for personnel or overhead costs in the budget breakdown.

Also, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau is expected to receive N7.24bn, with N734.09m for overheads and N6.51bn for capital projects, again with no allocation for personnel costs.

The strong tilt towards capital spending aligns with the position of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who has consistently argued that infrastructure renewal remains critical to improving safety, efficiency and service delivery in the aviation sector.

On 22 January 2025, the ministry formally presented its 2025 budget to the Joint National Assembly Committee on Aviation and Aviation Technology at the National Assembly Complex. During the presentation, Keyamo emphasised the ministry’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

He provided a breakdown of the ministry’s 2024 budget performance, noting that capital appropriation achieved a utilisation rate of 30.9 per cent, personnel costs were fully utilised at 100 per cent, while overhead expenditure recorded a near-complete utilisation rate of 99.97 per cent.

The minister told lawmakers that the proposed 2025 budget of N71.12bn for the ministry reflects its strategic priorities in advancing the aviation and aerospace sectors. The proposal comprised N69.22bn for capital expenditure, N1.16bn for personnel costs and N745.74m for overheads.

According to Keyamo, the capital-heavy structure of the budget is designed to support infrastructure upgrades, enhance service delivery and strengthen safety oversight across the sector.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of reneging on an agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the political crisis in the state.

Wike made the allegation on Wednesday during a thank-you visit to the people of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he said he would soon make public the details of the deal reached before the President.

The agreement followed a closed-door meeting convened by Tinubu at the State House in Abuja in June 2025, involving Wike and Fubara, as part of efforts to end the prolonged power struggle that plunged Rivers into a political crisis, leading to a state of emergency and the suspension of the governor and members of the State House of Assembly.

Although both leaders later pledged to work together for peace, neither disclosed the terms of the agreement.

However, Wike claimed on Wednesday that the governor had failed to honour parts of what was agreed.

“After agreeing on something, you renege. And you think you are a smart politician? You are clever by half.

“Very soon, we will let Rivers people know what we agreed before Mr President. This agreement was not done anywhere; before Mr President. If you can renege on what we agreed before, Mr President, then who are we?” he asked.

The minister also renewed his earlier warning about the political future of the governor, insisting that his supporters were prepared to “correct the mistake” of the 2023 election.

“We are battle-ready. We were the original ‘mandate’ people. Don’t deal with people who cannot keep to agreements. And they tell you it’s politics, that politics will not work here again.

“If they like, let them keep all the money, whether they have N600bn or not. We have defeated people with money before. We will still defeat people with money. What matters is the people, it’s not money,” the minister said.

Wike also thanked the people of Tai for their support for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, saying their loyalty had translated into appointments, infrastructure development and the siting of the Federal University of Environment in the area.

Former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), might spend a longer time in the custody of the Department of State Services, The PUNCH has learnt.

Multiple security sources reported that Malami faces prolonged detention, as the DSS is already working to obtain a court order to keep him in custody until the investigations are concluded.

Malami’s latest ordeal began on Monday when DSS operatives took him into custody shortly after he perfected his bail and was released from the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. His arrest came barely minutes after he stepped out of the facility, where he had been detained since early December over allegations brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Security sources indicate that the DSS is seeking a court order to prolong his detention, citing the sensitive and complex nature of the investigations, which are expected to take months.

The former AGF had initially been arrested by the EFCC following allegations that he conspired with his wife, Asabe, and their son to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities valued at about N8.7bn. According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences involved the use of multiple corporate entities, bank accounts, and high-value real estate transactions in Abuja and other parts of the country.

The trio was arraigned on December 29, 2025, before a Federal High Court in Abuja on 16 counts bordering on money laundering and conspiracy. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Before their arraignment, Malami had been unable to meet the bail conditions earlier granted him, leading to his continued detention from December 8. On December 18, a Federal Capital Territory High Court, presided over by Justice Babangida Hassan, upheld his detention, ruling that it was lawful under the circumstances. It was not until January 7 that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court granted Malami, his wife and son bail in the sum of N500m each, with stringent conditions.

In the charges preferred against them, the EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities through multiple corporate entities, bank accounts and high-value real estate transactions in Abuja and other parts of the country to the tune of N8.7bn. They pleaded not guilty to the 16 charges.

However, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on January 7 granted Malami, his wife and son bail in the sum of N500 million each.

Justice Nwite ordered that each defendant produce two sureties with verifiable landed property within Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarimpa areas of Abuja.

The court also directed that the title documents of the properties be deposited with the court for verification by the Deputy Chief Registrar, while the sureties were to depose to affidavits of means.

Twelve days after he was granted bail, Malami perfected his bail and was leaving the correctional centre when the DSS picked him up.

The PUNCH gathered that the ex-AGF might not be released anytime soon, as investigations may take months.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Malami is being grilled over his handling of the list of Nigerian terror financiers released by the United Arab Emirates.

A source familiar with the matter told The PUNCH, “The investigation is likely going to take a long time. This is why we are working to get a court order on Wednesday (today) to detain him further.

“There are several issues he is being questioned on. One of them is the handling of the terrorism financiers list released by the UAE in 2021 and some terror financiers during his term as the AGF. So, this investigation will take a very long time. I am not sure he will be released anytime soon.”

In 2021, authorities in the United Arab Emirates named six Nigerians with ties to the insurgent group, Boko Haram, as terrorist financiers.

The UAE Cabinet issued Resolution No. 83 of 2021, designating a total of 38 individuals and 15 entities on its approved list of persons and organisations supporting Boko Haram and other terrorist causes.

The individuals listed by the UAE authorities included Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad. At the time, the release of the list sparked widespread controversy within Nigeria, raising questions about how suspected terror financiers were able to operate within the country and whether Nigerian authorities had acted decisively on intelligence shared by foreign governments.

Ironically, Malami had, during his tenure as Attorney General, repeatedly vowed that the government would not shield any individual linked to terrorism or its financing. He publicly maintained that no matter how highly placed, anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in line with the law. Investigators are said to be revisiting those declarations in the light of the allegations now levelled against him.

Political analysts note that Malami’s case reflects a broader pattern of post-tenure scrutiny of former top officials, particularly those who wielded enormous influence during the Muhammadu Buhari administration. As AGF and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023, Malami was involved in several high-profile cases, including asset recoveries, prosecutions of corruption suspects, and controversial legal opinions that often generated public debate.

Another source said Malami is also being questioned over an arms cache allegedly found in his Kebbi home, as well as terrorism and terrorism financing petitions against him.

“He will also be probed on the arms cache found in his Kebbi home. Beyond this, there are several petitions against him bordering on alleged terrorism financing. Terrorism and terrorism financing are serious offences globally. You’ll recall that when Abubakar Malami, SAN, was the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, he vowed that the government of the day would not shield any person or persons linked to terrorism or terrorism financing.

“No responsible government would, in the same vein, fold its hands or turn a blind eye to weighty allegations of terrorism financing levelled against any individual, no matter how highly placed, in this case, Malami, SAN.

“In the course of investigations, we have what is called inter-agency cooperation. It is not uncommon for one security agency to hand over a person under investigation to another sister security agency. In Nigeria, the DSS is the sole security agency tasked with the responsibility of investigating such allegations. It’ll be best to allow them do their job,” the source said.

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