Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a supplementary budget providing millions of dollars for a presidential yacht and recreational all-terrain vehicles (SUVs) for his wife and members of Parliament has once again fueled controversy. anger among Nigerians over what they see as growing economic disparity.
On Wednesday, November 8, Mr. Tinubu signed the budget into law, which allocated $38 million for the presidential air fleet and other upgrades. Some $6.1 million previously budgeted for the yacht ended up going toward student loans. The Navy said it had taken delivery of the yacht, but “it has not been paid for.”
For its part, the country’s 460-member Parliament confirmed that all parliamentarians would each receive a new SUV, costing more than $150,000 per person. They say these vehicles will help them do their jobs better.
Nigeria is currently seeing food prices skyrocket, reaching record levels and fueling the frustration of Nigerians, who see politicians earning huge salaries while others, like healthcare workers, are forced to go on strike to protest against meager income.
“It is by the grace of God that I can eat. It’s difficult,” says Nduka Omeje, a trader from Abuja. Unions have fought for the government to increase the minimum wage for civil servants, which is currently $67 per month. In 2019, a salary increase was decided following protests.
