IN 2023, the Nigerian government spent N21 billion on the construction of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s residence. In the 2025 budget, his principal, President Bola Tinubu, plans to spend another N765 million on the renovation of his guest house and quarters, Economy Post has learnt.
The 2025 budget seen by Economy Post shows that the government allocated N466.860 million for the renovation of Shettima’s State House Presidential Villa and N298.390 million for the rehabilitation of his guest house in Asokoro, Abuja.
In 2024, the government had alloted N300 million for the renovation of VP Shettima’s quarters at the State House Presidential Quarters. It was designated as a new project. Yet in 2025, the guest house project was also termed a new project.
VP residence costs N22bn
In June 2024, one month after President Tinubu and VP Shettima were sworn in, the government commissioned the VP’s residence, which cost N21 billion to construct.
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Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, had explained that the project was awarded at an earlier cost of N7 billion in 2010 but was eventually abandoned after some initial fixes.
“This project was awarded in 2010 about 14 years ago, and it was abandoned in 2015. It was not until January of this year that we had a revised budget for the project. Now, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come and within a year, he has made this project a reality.
“It was in January this year (2024), that we had to review the project to N21 billion, from N7 billion, that means an additional N14 billion.
“For a vice president’s residence to take 14 good years and then Mr President, within a year, made it a reality. This is what is called renewed hope.
“I, therefore, went to the president and told him criminals had taken over the place and the president directed that I should make sure that the project is completed,” he said.
Printers, early warning mechanism
The 2025 budget of VP Shettima also shows that his office will purchase printers, photocopiers and media equipment at the cost of N36.96 million.
He will also cater for the National Centre for the Coordination of Early Warning Response Mechamism at the rate of N114.047 million.
VP Shettima’s total budget is N2.917 billion, with local and international travels gulping N1.732 billion – 59 percent of the entire budget.
Nigerians face hard times
Nigerians under President Tinubu and VP Shettima are hard hit by high cost of living, which is already pushing several Nigerians into desperation.
For the sake of rice and other food items, several Nigerians, including children, have died in the last one week due to stampedes which took place in Ibadan, Oyo State; Okija , Anambra State; and Maitama, Abuja.
Their only crime was that they either went to eat Christmas rice or to collect bags of rice to cook for their families. In the process, they were stampeded to death. Economy Post learnt that the people who came to the events exceeded the number expected by the donors.
In a statement signed by Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, “This is a clear indication that Nigerians are facing very difficult times under this administration. Unfortunately, the government appears detached from the realities on the ground and has failed to take the necessary steps to address a situation they helped to escalate.”
He said though these tragic incidents had been reported, many more might be occurring unnoticed as people were desperately hungry.
“These incidents are avoidable but highlight the depth of hunger and deprivation in our society,”The government must urgently adopt measures to address food insecurity, create jobs, and alleviate the suffering of the people.”
The CISLAC director said federal and state governments must prioritise policies to tackle poverty and inequality, noting that they must ensure the safety and dignity of citizens during public aid and relief programmes.
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Headline inflation rate rose to 34.6 percent in November 2024, up from 33.88 percent in October, driven by high food costs, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.
Food inflation surged to 39.93 percent in November 2024 from 32.84 percent in November 2023. Inflation is a true measure of the cost of living in a nation. In Nigeria, it has jumped due to policies that forced price increases, including petrol sector deregulation and float of the foreign exchange market. Both are being implemented by President Tinubu and VP Shettima.
“Well, the level of poverty and high cost of living in Nigeria now do not matter to politicians,” an economist, Mr Dan Ameh, said.
“They care about themselves, their families, houses, and property at the expense of poor people. Right now, 133 million Nigerians are suffering deprivations and poverty due to malgovernance, but that does not matter to our politicians.”
