Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the Allied Peoples Movement’s presidential candidate, has said the non-payment of states’ portions of Nigeria LNG dividends is disrupting development plans and delaying infrastructure spending across Nigeria.
States’ development plans affected
Makinde said the delayed release of the Nigeria LNG, or NLNG, dividend allocations had created a significant obstacle for state governments, with some subnational administrations forced to suspend planned infrastructure schemes.
He made the comments on Friday during the 2027 budget stakeholders’ consultative engagement in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
- Each state was expected to receive ₦250 billion from NLNG dividends, Makinde said.
- The funds were intended to support projects designed to strengthen Oyo State’s economy and upgrade public infrastructure.
- The payment has instead been deferred until after the 2027 general elections, he said.
Governor questions post-election payment plan
Makinde said Oyo State had already selected projects that could broaden its economic base before the expected funding was delayed.
“Every state was meant to receive ₦250 billion. We had already mapped out projects that would grow the Oyo State economy,” he said.
“But we are now being told that the money will only be released after the election. Is the election more important than the people of Nigeria?”
Concern over wider economic impact
The governor argued that holding back the allocations until after the 2027 polls would weaken social and economic progress in states across the federation. He said the delay was limiting governments’ ability to carry out investments needed to improve infrastructure and support local economic expansion.
