States across Nigeria earmarked a combined N525.23 billion for security votes and related operations between 2023 and 2025, according to an analysis of approved state budgets published on Open States, a BudgIT-backed public finance portal.
The spending surge comes amid persistent insecurity nationwide, despite security being constitutionally led by the Federal Government. Rising incidents of kidnapping, armed robbery and violent attacks have pushed many governors to fund parallel security measures, though results on the ground remain limited.
Data from 32 states show security vote allocations rose steadily over the period, from N150.47 billion in 2023 to N164.07 billion in 2024, before jumping sharply to N210.68 billion in 2025. The 2025 figure represents a 28.4 per cent increase over the previous year and more than 40 per cent growth compared with 2023. Four states—Gombe, Kebbi, Niger and Yobe—did not clearly disclose their figures, suggesting the true total may be higher.
Borno State recorded the highest cumulative allocation at N57.40 billion, reflecting sustained counterinsurgency efforts in the North East. Anambra followed with N42.57 billion after a dramatic rise from less than N200 million in 2023 to over N25 billion in 2025. Delta (N38.44 billion) and Benue (N36.87 billion) also ranked among the top spenders.
At the other end of the scale, Rivers reported just N210 million over three years, while Akwa Ibom disclosed N624 million and Ekiti N3.1 million, underscoring wide disparities in how states prioritise or report security vote spending.
Regional figures show the North East accounted for the largest disclosed share at N113.78 billion, driven largely by Borno. The South East followed with N102.59 billion, boosted by Anambra’s recent surge, while the South South recorded N98.36 billion. The South West had the lowest three-year total at N63.16 billion, though spending spiked in 2025 due mainly to large increases in Oyo and Ondo.
Security votes are special funds reserved for sensitive operations such as intelligence gathering and emergency response, often spent without detailed public accounting. The secrecy surrounding their use has long attracted criticism, with analysts questioning whether the funds improve safety or serve political interests.
Jamilu Charanchi, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Groups, said worsening insecurity and poor infrastructure in the North raise doubts about the impact of the allocations. “Despite these huge sums, people are still being killed, roads and hospitals are dilapidated, and basic services are failing,” he said, arguing that poverty remains a root cause of insecurity.
President Bola Tinubu has urged states to take greater responsibility for internal security, linking insecurity to weak local government systems and calling for stronger community-level policing. Labour unions have echoed this view, warning that insecurity is crippling livelihoods and demanding clearer accountability for security-related spending.
