FIJ Report Raises Questions Over Nigerian Press Council’s Spending on Projects Outside Its Core Mandate
A new investigation by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) has revealed that the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) allocated about ₦3.2 billion in its 2026 budget to projects that appear unrelated to its statutory responsibilities, raising fresh concerns over the use of public funds by federal agencies.
The Nigerian Press Council was established by the Federal Government in 1992 to regulate journalism practice in Nigeria, promote professionalism, safeguard press freedom, protect journalists’ rights, adjudicate complaints involving the media and provide an accessible dispute resolution mechanism between journalists and the public.
However, despite its clearly defined mandate, FIJ’s investigation found that the Council’s 2026 budget contains numerous constituency-style projects, including school renovations, streetlight installations, palace rehabilitation, grinding machine distribution and livestock farming initiatives.
Among the projects identified is a ₦140 million allocation for the renovation of selected schools in Ose Local Government Area and Akoko North West Local Government Area in Ondo North Senatorial District.
The budget also contains an ₦84 million provision for the construction and rehabilitation of selected traditional rulers’ palaces in Taraba South Senatorial District.
Another ₦140 million was earmarked for the construction and installation of solar-powered streetlights in Kpak and Safio communities in Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna State.
FIJ further reported that the Council budgeted ₦27,478,046 for the supply of grinding machines to women in Kere, Ondo North Senatorial District, while another ₦29.4 million was allocated for a similar project in Ikare, within the same senatorial district.
The investigation also uncovered a ₦28 million allocation for livestock farming and youth training in Delta North Senatorial District, despite the existence of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, which was created in 2024 specifically to oversee livestock development programmes nationwide.
According to the report, Ondo State emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the Press Council’s constituency project allocations, appearing 11 times across the budget, while Katsina State ranked second with four separate allocations.
FIJ questioned why a regulatory agency responsible for journalism standards is implementing projects that ordinarily fall under the responsibilities of ministries and agencies responsible for education, rural development, public works, agriculture and community infrastructure.
The report forms part of FIJ’s ongoing accountability investigations examining how federal agencies spend public funds on projects that appear outside their statutory mandates.
The findings are expected to intensify calls for greater transparency, accountability and stricter oversight of budgetary allocations to government agencies to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent in line with the legal responsibilities assigned to each institution.
