BudgIT, a civic-tech non-profit organization, has expressed concern regarding the allocation of more than N5 billion to the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research in Lagos for road construction in the 2024 budget.

Additionally, the organization highlighted that the same institute is set to spend N1.5 billion on streetlight installations.

In a post shared on its X account on Wednesday, BudgIT pointed out that the institute is also involved in the procurement of tricycles and motorcycles, amounting to over N300 million.

The organization cautioned that such expenditures should not be permitted, questioning the relevance of road construction and vehicle distribution to the institute's mandate of ocean and marine research.

The post read: “Nigerians, when you think you have seen it all!

“The Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, @NiomrLagos, has an allocation of over N5 billion to construct roads.

“The same institution is constructing streetlights with N1.5 billion and supplying tricycles and motorcycles with over N300 million.

“Please, what concerns ocean and marine research with road construction and keke distribution?

“Kai, #TheBudgetisaMess”