Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has questioned the inclusion of a ₦6.44 billion allocation in Nigeria’s 2026 budget for a “Special Presidential Support Group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers,” despite the country’s qualification campaign having ended months earlier.
Dalung, in a statement in Wednesday, described the budgetary provision as one that requires public clarification, arguing that funding for World Cup qualification campaigns is tied to specific activities and timelines that end once the qualification process is concluded.
Drawing from his experience as Nigeria’s former sports minister, Dalung said World Cup qualification campaigns follow clearly defined plans, budgets and implementation schedules, making the allocation difficult to justify after the campaign had already ended.
He said if the allocation resulted from a budgeting error, the government should openly acknowledge it. If the funds were intended for another purpose, he urged the authorities to clearly state what that purpose is.
However, he maintained that if the provision was deliberately retained after the qualification exercise had ended, those responsible should account for it.
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According to Dalung, his concerns are not politically motivated but are rooted in the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
The former minister recalled that he served in office when Nigeria qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, noting that every stage of the qualification process came with defined responsibilities, timelines and corresponding budget provisions.
He stressed that while no individual should be presumed guilty without evidence, questions surrounding public expenditure deserve prompt and transparent answers.
Dalung called on the Federal Government to explain why ₦6.44 billion was appropriated in the 2026 budget for a World Cup qualification campaign that had already concluded, insisting that Nigerians deserve a credible explanation.
