Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has raised alarm over the country’s escalating cancer crisis, revealing that the disease is responsible for 127,000 new cases and approximately 80,000 deaths annually. He described the figures as deeply concerning and called for urgent national attention to strengthen early detection, treatment, and prevention strategies.
While addressing this growing public health concern, the Federal Government has also taken a major step to improve fiscal accountability and transparency in capital project implementation. In a new directive issued through the 2025 Appropriation Act implementation guidelines, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are now required to include Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates for all capital projects valued at N150 million and above in their expenditure submissions.
According to the Budget Office of the Federation, the move aims to enhance traceability, eliminate project duplication, and support the monitoring of capital projects using digital tools. The guidelines mandate that all MDAs submit their full-year monthly expenditure plans to both the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation by July 31, 2025. The plans will form the foundation for the federal cash management strategy and must be approved by the Director-General of the Budget Office to ensure alignment with the government’s spending priorities.
The directive also reinforces that procurement planning must begin immediately and strictly follow approved budget allocations. Notably, the Federal Government emphasized that capital budget implementation will end in December 2025 without extension. Monthly cash releases to MDAs will depend on their submitted expenditure plans and be guided by a consolidated cash plan signed off by the Minister of Finance. The development reflects a broader push by the government to instill fiscal discipline and improve the effectiveness of public investments amid ongoing concerns about project delivery and impact.
