A series of public expenditure reviews has sparked outrage over alleged procurement inflation in Nigeria, including ₦10 million spent on two industrial pressing irons for the Vice President’s office and ₦52.1 million on staff tea for the Debt Management Office.
A review of public expenditure records from the civic tech platform GovSpend has revealed a series of highly controversial payments by Nigerian federal agencies, raising significant questions regarding procurement transparency and value for money. Among the most startling entries is a ₦10 million disbursement made on June 24, 2023, by the State House Headquarters Transit Account for the supply of just two industrial pressing irons for operations under the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima. The funds were paid to Riteddy Resources Limited under the entry “State House Operations – Vice President,” suggesting a unit cost of ₦5 million per iron. The records provided no technical specifications or justifications for the extraordinary cost, fueling public criticism over the administration’s spending priorities amidst a national economic crisis.
The scrutiny extends to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD), which reportedly processed a payment of ₦6.8 million for “20ltrs of groundnut oil” on May 26, 2025. For context, market surveys indicate that a larger 25-litre container of premium groundnut oil typically retails for between ₦52,000 and ₦100,000, leaving a massive discrepancy in the ₦6.8 million valuation. Similarly, the Debt Management Office (DMO)—the agency responsible for managing Nigeria’s burgeoning national debt—has come under fire for spending ₦52.1 million on staff tea throughout 2025. Payment records show bi-monthly disbursements of approximately ₦8.5 million to ₦8.8 million to various contractors, including Diamond Seasons Nigeria Limited and Whiteluck Engineering Limited, for tea supplies spanning the entire year.
Further investigations by SaharaReporters into the GovSpend portal revealed that the Nigeria Police Force, under Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun, expended over ₦239.4 million in 2025 on assorted food items. These purchases included bulk quantities of biscuits, Ovaltine, milk, Milo, canned baked beans, and cartons of Geisha. While these agencies maintain that such expenditures are necessary for operational efficiency and staff welfare, the lack of detailed breakdowns and the apparent inflation of market prices have intensified calls for a comprehensive audit of federal procurement processes. As of Wednesday, April 1, 2026, neither the Office of the Vice President nor the affected agencies have issued formal statements to clarify the justifications for these multi-million naira transactions.
Comparative Expenditure Breakdown: 2023–2025
| Agency | Item Description | Total Amount | Estimated Market Value |
| Office of the VP | 2 Industrial Pressing Irons | ₦10,000,000 | ~₦400,000 – ₦1,000,000 |
| PTAD | 20 Litres of Groundnut Oil | ₦6,800,000 | ~₦52,000 – ₦100,000 |
| DMO | Annual Staff Tea Supply | ₦52,100,000 | Subject to Staff Size |
| Nigeria Police | Provisions (Biscuits, Milk, Beans) | ₦239,400,000 | Bulk Purchase Variable |
READ THE FULL STORY IN SAHARA REPORTERS