Marine Ministry Mum Over Alleged N835m Spent On 6 Official Vehicles

The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has declined to comment on an alleged expenditure of N835,157,209.32 on the procurement of six official and operational vehicles.

The payment was made on December 21, 2025, to Kaura Motors Nigeria Limited by the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The payment description stated that it was for the “supply of six (6) official/operational vehicles for the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.”

The online medium, Sahara Reporters, had reported the story earlier on Tuesday.

Based on the total amount paid, the average cost per vehicle was approximately N139.2 million.

Efforts to obtain clarification from the ministry on the expenditure, including the specifications of the vehicles, the procurement process, and approvals for payment, were unsuccessful.

The special adviser to the minister, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, did not respond to messages sent seeking his comments on the matter.

Similarly, officials in the ministry’s media unit declined to comment, saying they were not authorised to speak on the issue.

The expenditure comes amid the federal government’s repeated calls for prudence in public spending and efforts to reduce the cost of governance.

The payment also raises questions about the procurement process, including the type and specifications of the vehicles, whether the procurement followed due process, the approvals obtained and whether the vehicles were delivered as specified.

The development comes against the backdrop of other payments attributed to the ministry in 2024, including foreign travel allowances, air tickets, refreshments, hall rentals, and honoraria.

Government payment records reviewed by this newspaper on the public payments portal, GovSpend, showed that the ministry made a number of payments to private accounts between July 26 and October 23, 2024.

Available payment records showed that between July 26 and October 23, 2024, several payments were made to private accounts in connection with official trips and allowances involving ministry officials.

For instance, on July 26, 2024, N7.3 million was reportedly paid to Olufemi Michael Oloruntola, the former secretary of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The payment was described as “40% estacode supplementation for study tour to the Royal Kingdom of Morocco.”

Records further indicated that Oloruntola received approximately N76 million between July 26 and October 23, 2024, in payments linked to air tickets, allowances and estacodes.

Similarly, N10.4 million was reportedly paid to Sanya Sholabami Abosede on July 26, 2024. The payment was described as “payment for 40% supplementation for the study tour to the Royal Kingdom of Morocco.”

Abosede subsequently received about N76.4 million between July 26 and October 23, 2024, according to the records.

The payments occurred around the period of an official trip by ministry officials to Morocco between July 29 and August 3, 2024.

Another official, Hafeez Babatunde Bombata, the former director of marine safety and security at the ministry, reportedly received approximately N43 million in payments between August 13 and October 23, 2024.

The payments have raised broader questions about the handling of public funds, particularly where government money is transferred into the personal accounts of public officials.

Nigeria’s Financial Regulations 2009 contain provisions governing the handling of public funds.

Chapter Seven, Section 713 of the regulations states that: “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.”

The provision is intended to ensure proper control, accountability and transparency in the management and disbursement of public funds.

Against this background, the N835.16 million payment for six official and operational vehicles has drawn attention due to its size and the average amount reportedly spent per vehicle.

At approximately N139.2 million per vehicle, the expenditure requires clarification on the specifications, procurement method, approval process, delivery, and value for money.