In 2020, Dataphyte looks at the numbers that matter in the country, human interest stories, special reports, and investigations. Our stories covered health, education, agriculture, security, and the extractive sector.
We exclusively analysed the 2020 budget revision, pick holes in the NNPC first audited financial reports, and COVID-19 spendings. Also, Dataphyte predicted the trend of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria using a real-time monitoring and evaluation platform developed in partnership by Cloneshouse Nigeria.
Here is a look at 20 stories that top the year:
1. Next Level: 2021 budget serviced by Debt
Nigeria will borrow about ₦4.28 trillion to finance the 2021 budget. With this in mind, the story analysed Nigeria’s debt profile and what it cost the nation to service debt annually.
In June 2015, Nigeria’s total debt profile was ₦12.1 trillion and had increased to ₦31 trillion by June 30, 2020. Over the years in servicing accumulated debts, Nigeria had spent ₦943bn in 2015, ₦1.36trn in 2016, and ₦1.66trnand the extractive sector in 2017.
By 2018, the Federal Government (FG) spent ₦2.23trn on debt servicing and ₦2.14tr in 2019.
This problem will only stop if the country expands its revenue net and invests in critical sectors like education, health, and agriculture, including security.
2. FIVE suspected accomplices in Lekki massacre
On October 20, 2020, the world stood appalled as they witnessed what appeared to be the Nigerian Army execute unarmed peaceful protesters at the Lekki-Epe expressway toll gate. Now the question on everyone’s mind is who sanctioned these extrajudicial killings.
Believe it or not, the Lekki killings of October 2020 were deliberate and brutal. The scenario centred around crucial people, especially those in higher authority and influencers either by political power or weapons. More than three months on, those behind the gory attack on the youthful population are still not in jail.
3. FOUR lessons to learn from #EndSARS protests
What started as a clamour for an end to police brutality (#EndSars) and an overhaul of Nigeria’s entire policing system took additional dimensions. Protesters added to their demands – an end to bad governance. The event taught every lesson. Dataphyte examines four-lessons from the protests in this article.
4. ₦212.32bn budget for Nigeria’s Security Sector: Where do the funds go?
Despite the economic uncertainty around the new normal, the Federal Government (FG) increased the capital expenditure budget for security, 2021.
The budget which was ₦190.65 billion in 2020 now features an 11.3% spike to ₦212.32bn for the following year. The projected sum per data from the Budget Office of the Federation is part of the expected total ₦12.65 trillion capital expenditure ceiling for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Here, Dataphyte looks at the spending into the sector in the last ten years vis a vis impact. Reportedly, the country has spent ₦6trn on security without making much headway. It was also rated among the worst countries on terrorism with no improvement since 2017 by the Global Terrorism Index (2019).
5. Extortion By Security Agents Frustrating Nigerian Youth – Dataphyte/HumAngle Survey
Before the #ENDSARS, ENDPolice Brutality protests, Dataphyte partnered with HumAngle to report the human side of Nigeria’s security failures. The survey revealed that the right to move freely had become a luxury most Nigerian youths cannot afford.
Worse, though, is that law enforcement agencies are part of those responsible for the uncertainty and unrest in young people’s minds.
In recent times, there have been several reports of policemen and other security agents taking advantage of young people as they go about their businesses.
6. 28% of kids Unable to Make it to High School: A Review of the Basic Education Situation in Nigeria
A staggering revelation reveals that only 28% of kids who finished primary education make it to high school in Nigeria. Worse, though, about 3.7 million children don’t even complete elementary education. And of the sample 24.2 million who attain their First leaving Certificate, only 6.8 million further their academics.
The situation has shown some gaps the government needs to address. The need to improve the enrolment of female learners is paramount. Even though females have proven to fare better than male counterparts in school completion and promotion, they have a lesser proportion in basic education enrollment. Therefore, with the help of civic organisations and non-profits, the government must educate the masses, especially in rural communities, on the importance of female child education. As a country, we need to rise above the norms of girl child education restriction.
7. ₦35m for Face Mask, ₦15m for Liquid Soap, How 5 Federal MDAs Mismanaged ₦1.69 Billion COVID19 Fund
The story talked about COVID Corruption and how government agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), inflated procurement deal worth ₦1.69 billion. It also revealed how these spendings and other daily payments were fraught with incomplete descriptions and vague transactions.
The data mined from the Open Treasury Portal (OTP) from March 1st to June 27th, 2020, showed 84 line items with COVID-19 expenses by the five federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAS). The MDAs are the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), and the Federal Ministry of Health.
8. INVESTIGATION: COVID-19 Response Projects Worth ₦534.98 Million Awarded to Unverified Contractors
Here, COVID-19 emergency procurements worth ₦534.98 million was awarded to unverifiable contractors and suppliers. According to the Dataphyte investigation, a total of 71 projects valued at ₦1.99 billion (₦1,992,650,974.59) were awarded to more than fifty contractors for the supply of different goods and services.
The data mined from the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO) of the Bureau Of Public Procurement (BPP) showed five MDAs awarded these contracts – Ministry of Environment, Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
9. The Loopholes in Nigeria’s ₦2.3 Trillion Stimulus Economic Sustainability Plan
The Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) developed an economic sustainability roadmap. The roadmap is in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It predicted that economic growth could fall from minus 4.4 percent to minus 8.91 percent (– 4.4% to – 8.91%). The committee noted that if oil revenues stay at $30 per barrel, the FAAC allocation for the rest of 2020 will be around ₦485 billion per month.
Although the framework appears a positive response strategy, some components raise concerns. Dataphyte analysed the loopholes in the Stimulus Economic Sustainability Plan.
10. Not Freedom For Women in Nigeria as States Hold Back Signing VAPP Act
In 2020, Nigeria witnessed rising cases of gender-based violence, rape across the country. This trend has called for agitation from people across the country, mostly women. They are the end victims of the rape cases and often leads to devastation, at times, death.
The VAPP Act made provision of life imprisonment for rape offenders. Also provided 14 years imprisonment for offenders aged 14 and below. In other cases, a minimum of 12 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
11. Legislatures to the Rescue: With 55% Cut in Education, 42% in Health, The Executive Misplaced Development Priorities
A review of the revised 2020 Budget showed misplaced priority on the part of the federal government.
On closer look, the budget review dampens many Nigerians’ hopes of reducing the enormous cost of governance. The National Assembly budget only reduced by 10 percent while the budget for the Presidency reduced by only 9.75 percent.
12. 610 Personnel Earn More Than the President as DPR Paid ₦8 Billion Salary Upfront in January
Dataphyte’s analysis of open treasury data showed that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) paid over 8 billion as salary upfront in January 2020.
This lopsided salary structure raises questions on justice and revenue management. As known, the implementation of a minimum worker’s payment of ₦30,000 monthly has been a subject of an unending debate in Nigeria. Thus, such an enormous financial commitment to a group of workers generates questions on fairness and equity. Indications that this lopsided salary payment structure is typical in many MDAs, including the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), also stimulates concerns.
13. Only 3 States Generated More IGR Above Federal Allocation in 2019
Nigerian states’ journey to fiscal sustainability is still far ahead, 2019 Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed
According to the IGR report, all the thirty-six states and the FCT generated a total of ₦1.33 trillion. This amount represents about 50 percent of the federal allocation known as FAAC. The total FAAC shared to the states in 2019 stood at ₦2.5 trillion.
Apart from Lagos, Ogun, and the FCT, the other thirty-four (34) states generated internal revenue below the federal allocation for the year.
14. Nigerian Security Operatives Killed 13 Enforcing Lockdown
The stay-at-home order resulted in a barrage of sundry violent attacks across the country. Security operatives, who are engaged to protect citizens, are fingered in most cases. The report chronicled extra-judicial killings by security operatives across the state, capitalising victims’ ordeals and video evidence.
15. President Buhari Fails to Disclose ₦11.4 Trillion Oil Remittances
The Minister of Petroleum, President Buhari, has failed to disclose about 11.43 Trillion naira remittances made by international oil and gas companies between 2014 and 2018. An analysis by DATAPHYTE showed that at least $37.46 billion was remitted by oil and gas companies from Europe and Canada to government entities in Nigeria. The proceeds between 2014 and 2018 convert to ₦11,425,208,946,053 at an exchange rate of ₦305 to $1.
16. Makinde’s government spent ₦5 billion on 42 ambiguous projects
Governor Seyi Makinde’s government engaged contractors for unspecified projects, this time 42 of them worth ₦5 billion. Despite riding on accountability and transparency to government, the state of constant omission of crucial details from expenditure derails the government’s successes.
17 FMC Yola updates COVID-19 contract details after Dataphyte investigation
A week after Dataphyte’s report on the COVID-19 procurement data by the Federal Medical Centre Yola, the agency updated its record on the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO).
Initially, the FMC Yola-led by Prof Auwal M Abubakar had named one Ahmadu Umaru as the beneficiary of ₦343.7 million COVID-19 contracts. An individual, Dataphyte found to be no other than Mr Abubakar’s secretary. The report revealed that the Director risks three to five years imprisonment contravening public procurement law.
18. Makinde’s Operation Zero Potholes scores 0 in Two Major Roads
Despite Governor Seyi Makinde’s ₦5 billion for road maintenance, Ibadan residents bemoaned the vast amount of potholes on major roads. Dataphyte visited Oremeji to Idi Obi and Ojo to Igbo Oloyin and witnessed massive potholes across the state capital.
19. COVID-19: Only One Ventilator Exist for Every 1.2 Million Nigerians
In April 2020, Dataphyte raised concern over the number of Ventilators for every Nigerian. An analysis by Dataphyte showed that the Federal Government only purchased six ventilators worth the sum of N77.6 million in 2019. These six ventilators are supposedly meant to fill the gap for ventilators by 200 million Nigerians.
The paltry spending on essential medical equipment represents total disregard for citizens’ critical health challenges and the total absence of disease surveillance capabilities on the part of the government. For instance, a recent report showed that there are only 169 ventilators in the country.
20. Fishers suffer as obsolete fishing regulations in Nigeria aid illicit activities
Despite being among the world’s top producers in fisheries and aquaculture production, Nigeria loses $10 billion annually to illegal fishing. The impact of illegal fish-catching also posed serious economic and livelihood danger to artisanal fishers.
The report examines how obsolete fishing regulation in Nigeria aids illicit fishing activities.