The Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin-Kowa (FCHDK), is set to receive a staggering N133 billion for capital projects in the proposed 2026 budget—an amount that surpasses allocations for many of Nigeria’s top federal universities if approved.

Analysis of the 2026 Appropriation Bill shows that the college’s total allocation is N135.78 billion, with N2.7 billion earmarked for recurrent expenditure and N133 billion dedicated to capital projects. By comparison, major federal universities are slated to receive significantly less: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) – N49.74 billion; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU) – N48.76 billion; University of Calabar (UNICAL) – N43.83 billion; University of Ibadan (UI) – N39.57 billion; University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) – N37.75 billion. In each case, FCHDK’s allocation is more than double the funding for these top institutions.

The total 2026 budget for all federal universities stands at N1.044 trillion, meaning FCHDK alone would account for roughly 12.7 per cent of the entire allocation.

While the college’s mandate is to train and advance manpower in horticulture and landscaping technology, its 2026 budget includes projects that extend well beyond its core responsibilities. Proposed expenditures include N140 million for worship sites in Yamaltu-Deba, Gombe State; N70 million for prayer centres in Kaduna; over N1 billion for used e-hailing vehicles and road construction in Lagos; N350 million for community policing vehicles in Kano; N470 million for hospital equipment in Sokoto and Kaduna; and N1.05 billion each for Keke Napep tricycles and road rehabilitation in Kaduna. Other allocations cover VIP guest palaces for traditional rulers, solar streetlights, and transformers across various states.

The N133 billion allocation is nearly 50 times the college’s recurrent expenditure of N2.7 billion, raising questions about the appropriateness and oversight of these capital projects.

While Nigerian law does not explicitly prohibit agencies from undertaking projects outside their mandates, former President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have previously condemned the inclusion of constituency projects by federal lawmakers. The trend reflects a broader pattern in Nigeria’s budgeting process, where ministries and agencies frequently carry out projects unrelated to their statutory responsibilities. In the 2025 budget alone, the National Assembly inserted over 11,000 such projects valued at N6.93 trillion, according to BudgIT.

The FCHDK 2026 budget has therefore ignited debate over fiscal priorities, oversight, and accountability in the nation’s capital expenditure planning.