Nigeria Military Spending Undermined by Graft, Crisis Group Says
- Military spending averaged $1.7 billion between 2011 and 2014
- Nigeria faces militant attacks in northeast and oil-rich delta
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While Nigeria increased spending on the military to an average of $1.7 billion a year from 2011 to 2014 in response to the Boko Haram insurgency, “system-wide” corruption meant it didn’t become a better fighting force, the International Crisis Group said.
“Dubious procurement practices, fraudulently bloated payrolls, poor financial management and weak auditing systems at the national security adviser’s office, the defense ministry and armed services headquarters often mean funds are diverted to private or non-military purposes,” the Brussels-based group said in a report released on Monday. “Inadequate funding, corrupt procurement and poor maintenance result in serious equipment and logistics deficits.”