In a bold move to strengthen accountability in public spending, the Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to include Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates for all capital projects valued at ₦150 million and above in their 2025 expenditure plans.
The directive, contained in the newly released implementation guidelines for the 2025 Appropriation Act, is part of the government’s renewed push to tackle project duplication, misallocation of funds, and abandoned infrastructure projects across the country.
According to the Budget Office of the Federation, all MDAs must submit their full-year monthly expenditure plans by July 31, 2025, to both the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF). These submissions will guide cash disbursements throughout the fiscal year.
The guideline further stated:
“The MDAs’ Expenditure Plans must indicate the GPS coordinates for all capital projects of ₦150 million and above. This will enable accurate project tracking, verification, and digital monitoring.”
The Director-General of the Budget Office, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, will be required to sign off on each MDA’s expenditure plan to ensure compliance with the provisions of the 2025 Appropriation Act.
The directive aligns with the government’s Bottom-Up Cash Management Strategy, which seeks to improve cash flow forecasting, prevent project duplication, and ensure that funds are released only for verified and trackable projects.
The OAGF will prepare a comprehensive cash plan, in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, while the consolidated plan must be approved by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
The government also emphasized that capital budget implementation will not be extended beyond December 2025, warning MDAs to commence procurement planning immediately and ensure strict adherence to approved budget provisions.
The new GPS requirement is expected to improve independent verification of project locations, enabling civil society organisations, anti-corruption agencies, and citizens to track government projects in real-time.
Analysts believe this move will help address Nigeria’s long-standing issue of abandoned or ghost projects, which have cost the country billions of naira in wasted resources.
A senior financial expert, Dr. Charles Ibekwe, told our correspondent that the policy, if implemented effectively, could transform public project monitoring:
“Requiring GPS coordinates is a game-changer. It means you can verify a project’s existence with satellite imagery. This will drastically reduce fake or inflated contracts.”
The directive comes amid growing concerns over Nigeria’s rising debt profile, which stood at ₦149.39 trillion as of March 2025, and declining external reserves at $37.21 billion. Experts have argued that tighter fiscal control is critical to ensuring that limited funds are spent efficiently.
The government has also pledged that monthly cash releases to MDAs will be based strictly on verified expenditure plans, further tightening control over capital expenditure.
While stakeholders have welcomed the move, they urge the government to complement the directive with publicly accessible digital dashboards where citizens can view the locations, costs, and progress of major projects.
The success of the policy will also depend on political will, enforcement by anti-corruption agencies, and continuous public scrutiny.
If fully implemented, the GPS mandate could mark a significant step toward restoring public trust, ensuring value for money, and promoting transparency in Nigeria’s public spending.