The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, has lamented that inadequate budgetary allocation and delay in the release of funds is affecting the effective delivery of critical projects and services in the ministry.
He also lamented that over N1 billion was deducted from the ministry’s 2025 overhead budget, there The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, has lamented that inadequate budgetary allocation and delay in the release of funds is affecting the effective delivery of critical projects and services in the ministry.
He also lamented that over N1 billion was deducted from the ministry’s 2025 overhead budget, thereby limiting her ability to meet its obligations to staff and service providers. Fagbemi disclosed this yesteday while presenting the 2026 budget proposal of the Federal Ministry of Justice before the House of Representatives Committee on Justice in Abuja.
He explained that the ministry’s mandate and engagements are anchored on achieving the goals and initiatives outlined in the National Policy on Justice 2024 and its Strategic Plan 2023–2027. According to him, these objectives align with the justice sector roadmap under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.
The minister, however, lamented that insufficient budgetary allocations and delays in the release of appropriated funds have significantly constrained the ministry’s capacity to execute critical projects and deliver essential services to Nigerians.
“Due to these financial constraints, the ministry is unable to pay prompt and adequate travel allowances for officers to attend to cases outside Abuja in the face of increased cost of transportation. “The ministry is also indebted to external solicitors and legal experts engaged in major local and international cases.
The funding challenges also limit our ability to promptly mobilise appropriate response to international cases, with the risk of default and adverse rulings being made against Nigeria dilute to lack of prompt legal representation,” he stated.
