Manny Ita –
Nigeria’s Federal Government has approved a significant increase in funding for the reintegration of former militants, with the allocation rising by ₦50 billion to a total of ₦115 billion under the 2026 budget framework. The decision, approved by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represents a major boost to the Presidential Amnesty Programme aimed at stabilising the Niger Delta region.
Budget documents show that the new allocation marks a sharp increase from the ₦65 billion previously earmarked for the programme in recent years, reflecting a substantial expansion in government commitment to post-conflict rehabilitation efforts.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme, introduced in 2009, was designed to end militancy in the oil-rich Niger Delta by offering disarmament, vocational training, and reintegration opportunities to former agitators. Over the years, it has been credited with helping to restore relative peace and boosting crude oil production, which had been severely disrupted by attacks on oil infrastructure.
Officials say the increased funding is intended to accommodate more beneficiaries, deepen skills acquisition programmes, and enhance long-term economic empowerment initiatives for ex-militants. The move is also seen as part of broader efforts to sustain peace in the region, which remains critical to Nigeria’s economic stability due to its role in oil production.
However, the programme has continued to attract scrutiny, with critics raising concerns about transparency, accountability, and its long-term sustainability. Questions have also been raised about the absence of a clear legislative framework backing the initiative, as well as allegations of mismanagement in previous funding cycles.
Despite these concerns, the government maintains that strengthening the reintegration process is essential to preventing a resurgence of unrest in the Niger Delta. Analysts note that the funding increase signals a strategic priority on maintaining security and economic continuity in the region, even as broader fiscal pressures persist within the national budget.
