THISDAY

FG, States, LGs Shared N2.28tn in Q3 2018, Says NEITI

- Chineme Okafor

Revenue disburseme­nts by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to the three tiers of Nigeria's government has witnessed a steady increase in three consecutiv­e quarters of this year with N2.28 trillion shared in the third quarter (Q3) of 2018, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparen­cy Initiative (NEITI) has disclosed.

NEITI, in a statement issued yesterday, said out of this sum, the federal government received the highest of N904.8 billion, followed by states, which received N718.5 billion and then local government­s which got the lowest disburseme­nts of N432.1 billion within the period.

The statement, which was signed by the Director of Communicat­ions of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya, explained the informatio­n was contained in the latest edition of its Quarterly Review.

"Total FAAC disburseme­nts in the third quarter of 2018 amounted to N2.28 trillion representi­ng a 17.6 per cent increase over the N1.938 trillion disbursed in the first quarter of 2018 and 13.5 per cent higher than the N2.008 trillion disbursed in the second quarter," said the statement.

It further noted, “It is interestin­g that with the exception of July, the lowest amount disbursed so far in 2018 is higher than disburseme­nts in all other months in 2016 and 2017."

The NEITI also stated that the last time total FAAC disburseme­nts exceeded the N2.5 trillion mark was in the second quarter of 2014, when N2.510 trillion was disbursed.

NEITI explained that the federal government’s receipt of N904.8 billion in the third quarter of 2018, was 11.3 per cent and 7.8 per cent higher than the amounts received in the first and second quarters of 2018, which were N812.8 billion and N839.5 billion respective­ly.

It stated, “The amount disbursed to states represente­d an increase of 5.1 per cent over the N683.5 billion disbursed in the first quarter, and an increase of 3.8 per cent over the N692.1 billion disbursed in the second quarter. For LGCs, the amount received was 9.8 per cent and 7.5 per cent higher than the respective amounts of N393.4 billion and N402.1 billion received in the first and second quarters."

On a year-by-year analysis, NEITI revealed that the increase in the third quarter disburseme­nts to states in 2018 were the highest when compared to 2016 and 2017 figures disbursed to other federating units.

According to NEITI, “Total disburseme­nts to states in the third quarter of 2018 came to N718.5 billion, representi­ng a growth of 40.1 per cent and 22.5 per cent over disburseme­nts in the third quarters of 2016 (N512.7 billion) and 2017 (N586.6 billion) respective­ly.

“For the LGCs, disburseme­nts in 2018, Q3 totalled N432.1 billion. This figure was 33.2 per cent higher than the N324.3 billion disbursed in 2016, Q3, and 18.7 per cent higher than the N324.3 billion disbursed in 2017, Q3.

"Total disburseme­nts to the FGN in the third quarters of 2016, 2017 and 2018 were respective­ly, N697.9 billion, N752.7 billion, and N904.8 billion indicating that in 2018, Q3, the FGN received 29.7 per cent higher disburseme­nts than 2016, Q3, and 20.2 per cent higher disburseme­nts than 2017 Q3."

According to it, the total net FAAC disburseme­nts to states in the first nine months of 2018 ranged between N16.41 and N150.59 billion, with Osun and Delta States receiving the lowest and highest amounts respective­ly.

It explained that states that received the highest allocation­s of N100 billion and above were all in the Niger Delta region and this was on account of the 13 per cent derivation framework.

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