Almajiri Commission Distances Self From Disputed Budget Allocations

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has distanced itself from controversial projects contained in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

The commission stated that the items were not initiated by the agency but were National Assembly constituency projects assigned to it for implementation.

The clarification followed reports questioning the inclusion of projects considered outside the commission’s statutory mandate in the 2026 Federal Budget.

In a statement issued yesterday by the special assistant on Media and Communications to the Executive Secretary of the commission, Nura Muhammad, NCAOOSCE said the projects were constituency interventions captured in the Appropriation Act and allocated to the commission in line with existing budgetary practices.

“The commission wishes to clarify that these projects are National Assembly constituency projects incorporated into the 2026 Appropriation Act for implementation through the Commission,” he said.

The Commission also noted that the practice of assigning constituency projects to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for execution has been a long-standing feature of Nigeria’s federal budgeting process.

It further said such projects are included in the Appropriation Act and assigned to an agency, the agency is legally required to implement them in accordance with financial regulations and procurement procedures.

“As part of a duly enacted federal budget, every project assigned to the Commission forms part of its implementation responsibilities and will be executed in strict compliance with extant laws, financial regulations and due procurement processes,” it stated.

NCAOOSCE stressed that its statutory mandate remains focused on coordinating national efforts to reform the Almajiri education system and tackling the challenge of out-of-school children.