₦8.7bn Erosion-Control Budget Gap Raises Questions as Anambra Gullies Expand

₦8.7bn Erosion-Control Budget Gap Raises Questions as Anambra Gullies Expand

Anambra State Government recorded just ₦1.181 billion in spending on erosion and flood control against a cumulative budget of ₦9.890 billion between 2023 and June 2026, as expanding gullies and flooding continue to threaten homes, roads, farmlands and communities across the state.

The spending gap emerged from an investigation published by The Whistler on October 12, 2026, which examined ecological fund allocations, state budget implementation reports and financial statements.

The investigation also found that the Anambra State Government and its 21 local government areas received a combined ₦11.623 billion in ecological fund allocations during the period. However, this figure represents allocations to the state and local councils combined, not the amount specifically budgeted for erosion and flood control.

According to the investigation, the state government received ₦6.371 billion in ecological allocations recorded in Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursement data, while the 21 local government areas collectively received ₦5.251 billion.

Separately, the state government’s financial statements recognised ₦10.287 billion in ecological fund revenue over the same period, creating a difference of approximately ₦3.916 billion between the FAAC allocation figures and the revenue recognised in the state’s accounts.

The difference requires reconciliation and does not, by itself, establish that funds are missing. Differences in accounting periods, adjustments or revenue-recognition methods could affect the figures, but the available information does not establish the specific reason.

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The more immediate spending concern relates to the state’s erosion and flood-control budget, which recorded low expenditure despite the scale of the environmental challenges facing communities.

Between 2023 and June 2026, Anambra budgeted ₦9.890 billion for erosion and flood control but recorded expenditure of only ₦1.181 billion. This represents approximately 11.94 per cent of the cumulative budget, leaving ₦8.709 billion of the provision unspent during the period under review.

The unspent amount refers to the difference between the budget and recorded expenditure. It should not be interpreted as money confirmed to be available in government accounts or as proof that the funds were deliberately withheld.

In 2023, the state appropriated ₦1.182 billion for erosion and flood control but spent ₦348.153 million. In 2024, it budgeted ₦1.375 billion and recorded expenditure of ₦248.767 million.

The 2025 budget provided ₦2.213 billion for the same purpose, while recorded spending stood at ₦448.182 million.

For the first half of 2026, the state earmarked ₦5.120 billion for erosion and flood control but recorded expenditure of only ₦135.705 million by June 30.

The first-half spending represented approximately 2.65 per cent of the full-year allocation, leaving a difference of about ₦4.984 billion between the 2026 budget provision and recorded expenditure at the end of June.

The financial figures do not establish why spending fell below budgetary provisions. Information on fund releases, procurement, contract awards, project execution and outstanding obligations would be needed to determine whether the gap resulted from administrative delays, funding constraints or other factors.

Nevertheless, the low recorded expenditure raises questions about budget implementation, environmental investment and public accountability, particularly as residents continue to face damage from erosion and flooding.

The investigation also examined ecological allocations to local governments, which collectively received ₦5.251 billion between 2023 and June 2026.

An analysis of 11 councils showed that Idemili North received ₦339.138 million, followed by Aguata with ₦325.774 million, Anaocha with ₦266.396 million and Nnewi South with ₦251.964 million. Allocations among the councils examined ranged from approximately ₦202 million to ₦339 million.

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However, the investigation reported difficulties in obtaining detailed explanations from local government authorities about how the allocations were managed and spent.

A senior government official, who spoke anonymously, said ecological fund receipts were not always separately identified in monthly allocations received by councils. The official also described an arrangement under which local government funds were pooled to support salaries, pensions, security and administrative expenses.

The account raises questions about the visibility of ecological allocations in council finances and the ability of residents to track expenditure on environmental projects. A complete assessment of local government spending would require detailed financial records showing the amounts received, transfers made, expenditure incurred and projects completed by each council.

Idemili North Local Government Area Mayor Standley Nkwoka argued that the allocations available to councils were insufficient to finance some of the area’s most expensive erosion-control projects.

Nkwoka said a single flood-control site in Idemili North had cost the state government at least ₦9 billion, while another phase of intervention was expected to cost about ₦15 billion.

He maintained that the council’s ecological allocation could not independently finance projects of that scale. He also identified sanitation enforcement, regular drainage cleaning, proper waste disposal and household stormwater catchment systems as measures that could help reduce flooding and erosion.

The financial scrutiny comes as Anambra continues to battle a longstanding gully erosion and flooding crisis. On August 27, 2026, Governor Chukwuma Soludo declared a state of emergency on the environment, warning that erosion, flooding and land degradation posed serious threats to the state.

Reports on the declaration said Soludo estimated that more than 30 per cent of Anambra’s landmass had been affected by erosion. He identified blocked drainage channels, construction on waterways, uncontrolled runoff, deforestation and sand mining among the factors contributing to the crisis.

The effects are felt in communities where expanding gullies threaten residential buildings, roads, farmland and other public infrastructure. Flooding can also displace households, disrupt transport and commerce, destroy agricultural livelihoods and increase the financial burden on affected residents.

The state government has called for greater community participation and stricter compliance with environmental regulations. Measures highlighted by the administration include drainage cleaning, waste evacuation and action against activities that obstruct waterways.

The government has also emphasised proper waste disposal, drainage maintenance and construction practices that prevent uncontrolled runoff.

However, community participation alone cannot resolve the crisis without adequate infrastructure, effective enforcement and sustained investment in environmental protection.

Anambra has previously benefited from the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, a World Bank-supported programme designed to reduce vulnerability to erosion through gully rehabilitation, watershed management and community-based interventions.

A 2024 research paper reviewing the programme’s interventions in Anambra reported that 13 major gully sites had been treated, covering a combined length of approximately 32.5 kilometres. The programme included rehabilitation works and support for communities affected by erosion.

The reported interventions demonstrate the role of coordinated engineering and environmental management in addressing gully erosion. However, the figures do not establish the current condition of every rehabilitated site or the performance of projects financed through separate state budgets.

The continuing crisis highlights the need to maintain completed infrastructure, identify vulnerable locations early and prevent new gullies through effective drainage design and watershed management.

For residents in erosion-prone communities, the priority remains practical and lasting interventions that protect lives, homes, roads and livelihoods.

The latest financial figures have placed renewed focus on whether Anambra’s ecological allocations are translating into effective environmental projects. Reconciling the differences between FAAC allocation data and state revenue records would help clarify the financial position, while publishing project-level expenditure and implementation reports would improve public understanding of how funds are being used.

The state government and local councils could also strengthen accountability by publishing project locations, contract values, implementation timelines and completion reports. Such disclosures would help residents assess whether spending is addressing the most urgent environmental risks.

With billions of naira allocated to ecological challenges and erosion continuing to threaten communities, the central question is whether public spending is being translated into timely and durable protection for the people most affected.

₦8.7bn Erosion-Control Budget Gap Raises Questions as Anambra Gullies Expand