Niger, Benue lead as North-Central states share N5.88bn ecological fund in first half of 2025

By Aminu Abubakar

Six North-Central states — Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau — have received a combined total of N5.88 billion from the ecological fund between January and June 2025, with allocations peaking in March and May.

Ecological funds are used to tackle ecological issues such as erosion and flooding.

A breakdown of the monthly figures shows that Niger State emerged as the biggest beneficiary in the six-month period, while Benue and Kogi followed closely. Kwara consistently had the smallest allocations but recorded gradual increases over the months.

Rising Disbursements After Slow January Start

Allocations in January 2025 amounted to N802.5 million, the lowest monthly total in the period under review. Niger State topped the month with N151.8 million, while Kwara received the least at N114.1 million. Benue and Kogi both stayed around the N140 million range, Plateau received N133.9 million, and Nasarawa got N118.2 million.

The figures rose sharply in February, with total allocations hitting N997.6 million — a jump of N195.1 million from January. Niger again led with N188.5 million, followed closely by Benue at N178.5 million and Kogi at N175.9 million. Plateau received N166.2 million, Nasarawa N146.8 million, and Kwara N141.7 million.

March: The Peak Month

March recorded the highest ecological fund disbursement of the first half of the year, with a combined total of N1.068 billion for the six states. This was driven by big allocations to Niger (N201.9 million), Benue (N191.1 million), and Kogi (N188.4 million). All six states surpassed the N150 million mark for the first time in the year, reflecting a significant boost in funding.

Read Also: Northwest states received over N589.8bn in six months as Kano tops allocation chart

Kwara received N151.7 million, Nasarawa N157.2 million, and Plateau N178 million. The month’s spike is notable for being the only one in the period where Niger crossed the N200 million threshold, hinting at targeted funding for specific ecological or environmental projects.

April Dip, But Still Strong

After March’s peak, April allocations dropped slightly to N984.3 million. Niger retained its lead with N186 million, followed by Benue at N176.1 million and Kogi at N173.6 million.

Kwara received N139.8 million, Nasarawa N144.8 million, and Plateau N164 million. While lower than March, the April figures still remained significantly above January’s low levels, suggesting a sustained funding momentum.

May Maintains Momentum

May matched March in terms of strong allocations, totalling N1.060 billion. Niger again crossed the N200 million mark with N200.5 million, while Kogi received N187.1 million and Benue N189.8 million.

Kwara enjoyed its highest monthly allocation of the period at N150.7 million, Nasarawa received N156.1 million, and Plateau N176.8 million. The month’s figures confirmed a mid-year pattern of heavier disbursements in the second quarter.

June Sees Gradual Decline

June brought a slight reduction in total allocations to N971.3 million, with Niger still leading at N183.6 million. Benue received N173.8 million, Kogi N171.3 million, and Plateau N161.8 million.

Nasarawa got N142.9 million, while Kwara ended the month at N137.9 million. Though lower than the preceding two months, June’s figures were still higher than January’s, maintaining the upward trajectory seen in the first half of the year.

Half-Year State Rankings

An aggregation of the January–June figures shows Niger firmly at the top with a cumulative N1.112 billion, followed by Benue with N1.053 billion and Kogi with N1.038 billion.

Plateau placed fourth with N980.7 million, Nasarawa fifth with N866 million, and Kwara sixth with N835.9 million.

Patterns and Possible Drivers

The data reveals that Niger consistently attracted the largest allocations, surpassing the N200 million mark twice. Its monthly receipts never fell below N151.8 million, suggesting a strong case for ecological intervention funding in the state.

Read Also: Northwest states received over N537bn LG allocations in first half of 2025

Benue and Kogi also maintained steady high figures, each crossing the N180 million mark multiple times. Plateau’s receipts, while slightly lower, remained relatively stable throughout the six months.

Kwara and Nasarawa, though trailing, showed gradual improvements, with Kwara’s steady climb culminating in its best month in May.

Two months — March and May — stood out as peak periods, both exceeding N1.06 billion in total allocations. These months may align with seasonal disbursement cycles tied to project planning or environmental conditions, such as the onset of the rainy season and the need for erosion control and flood mitigation measures.

January–June Allocation Summary

January: N802.5m – Niger leads; Kwara lowest

February: N997.6m – Significant jump from January

March: N1.068bn – Highest allocation month; all states above N150m

April: N984.3m – Slight dip but still strong

May: N1.060bn – Second-highest month; Kwara peaks

June: N971.3m – Decline from May but above January levels

The first half of 2025 has seen sizeable ecological fund allocations to North-Central states, with Niger, Benue, and Kogi dominating the charts. The steady increases from January through mid-year suggest that federal disbursements may be responding to escalating environmental and ecological needs in the region.

While the reasons for monthly fluctuations remain tied to internal government processes and possible environmental triggers, the overall pattern shows significant injections of funds aimed at mitigating ecological challenges.

With the rainy season in full swing, the second half of the year will reveal whether the upward allocation trend continues — and whether the funds are being effectively deployed to tackle erosion, flooding, and other environmental threats facing the North-Central zone.

States Receive High in Half Year 2025, Spend Little on Erosion, Flood Control

In the half year 2025, representing between January and June, Kwara state spent N12.9 million on the line item “flood and erosion control,channelisation and  dredging of ecological problem sites.” This is despite receiving N835.9 million as ecological funds in the same period of time.

This is despite the fact that the state has been hit by flooding in recent times. In January 2025, it was reported that  floods  washed away thousands of farmlands in Shonga, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The incident has displaced several hundred rice farmers and destroyed investments running into millions of naira.

Another state, Kogi, despite receiving N1.038 billion as Ecological fund, spend only N2.6 million under the line item “Erosion and flood control” on its budget performance document.

In July this year, it was reported that over 500 houses have been submerged, while properties worth millions of naira have been lost due to floods in Kabba, the headquarters of kabba/Bunu local government area of kogi state.

The disaster destroyed over 500 houses, leaving many families without shelter.