The United Stated Mission in Nigeria has sparked controversy after criticising Nigerian state governors for extravagant spending on government houses while millions of citizens continue to grapple with harsh economic conditions.
The mission in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), referenced a report by The Africa Report, which detailed how some governors were allegedly spending billions of naira on new government lodges and residences.
This according to them, came at a time when Nigerians are being urged to endure the prevailing economic hardship “like labour pains.”
“While Nigerians are urged to endure economic hardship ‘like labour pains,’ some governors are splurging billions on new government houses,” the post read.
The US Mission highlighted views from key civic groups, including BudgIT Nigeria and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), both of which criticised the misplacement of priorities among Nigerian leaders.
“Instead of funding schools, clinics, or agriculture, leaders prioritise buildings they barely use,” BudgIT warned.
CISLAC echoed similar concerns, saying, “There is more money, little accountability, and no priority.”
The mission stressed that the alleged lack of fiscal responsibility not only fuels inequality, but also severely erodes public trust in governance.
The post quickly sparked heated reactions from Nigerians who questioned both the actions of local leaders and the motives behind the U.S. government’s involvement.
@Ibitigba2000 wrote, “We’ve told Nigerians to hold their governors accountable but no, na Abuja go face.”
Another user, @ochonogorgabby, questioned the diplomatic tone of the message, “What’s going on? Why is the U.S. mission in Nigeria tweeting this?”
Social commentator @DanielRegha took a broader view of the issue, saying, “Not just governors, the key word is the GOVT, which includes politicians in both the Local, State, and Federal levels. But politicians alone can’t be blamed—foreign governments are also part of the problem for continuously borrowing the Nigerian govt money with little or no proof of accountability for the previous loans taken. Take the World Bank for example. In summary, Nigerian leaders spend recklessly because they see means to keep borrowing with zero accountability.”
