The administration of Bola Tinubu has proposed a total of N115bn for the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, representing a sharp increase of N50bn from previous allocations.

Budget documents indicate that the programme, which received N65bn in both 2024 and 2025, has now recorded a 76.9 per cent rise in funding for the 2026 fiscal year. The allocation was retained by the National Assembly without alteration, signalling legislative backing for the increase.

The funds are captured under recurrent (non-debt) expenditure in the 2026 budget schedule and represent the highest single-year allocation to the programme in nearly a decade.

Originally introduced in June 2009 under former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, the initiative was designed to address militancy in the Niger Delta through disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration.

The programme followed years of unrest in the oil-rich region, which had severely impacted Nigeria’s crude oil production, reducing output far below its OPEC quota at the time.

Under its initial framework, militants who surrendered weapons within a 60-day window in 2009 were enrolled in rehabilitation programmes, including skills training and monthly stipends. By the end of the exercise, over 20,000 ex-militants had laid down arms.

Although conceived as a short-term intervention expected to end by 2014, the programme has continued for over 16 years, receiving an estimated N700bn in cumulative funding over the past decade.

Data from the government’s spending platform shows that between 2023 and 2025, at least N8.6bn in payments were made through the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta, which oversees the programme.

A significant portion of the expenditure went towards educational support, including the purchase of laptops for scholarship beneficiaries. Over 2,000 units were procured at a base cost of N2.71bn, rising to about N3.1bn after taxes and related charges.

Despite its objectives, the programme has faced persistent criticism over transparency and accountability. Analysts have raised concerns about the absence of a legislative framework backing its operations, noting that it was established through executive action rather than an Act of the National Assembly.

There have also been allegations of mismanagement, including claims of “ghost beneficiaries” inserted into the payroll system. A 2021 report by the Stakeholder Democracy Network highlighted widespread concerns about elite capture and financial opacity within the programme.

According to the report, powerful actors have developed systems to benefit disproportionately, creating long-term financial dependencies that sustain the programme beyond its original purpose.

Further scrutiny has revealed discrepancies in beneficiary records. A 2018 audit uncovered that out of 1,061 scholarship recipients reviewed, only 314 were verified as legitimate participants.

The programme has also witnessed protests from ex-militants over unpaid stipends and allegations of arbitrary removal from payment lists. In 2023, some beneficiaries staged demonstrations at the National Assembly, demanding the settlement of outstanding entitlements.

While the Federal Government maintains that the programme remains vital for sustaining peace in the Niger Delta, critics continue to call for reforms to improve transparency, accountability, and long-term impact.

As of the time of reporting, the Presidency has not issued an official response regarding the rationale behind the increased allocation.