Fashola’s Legacy Under Scrutiny: How His Streetlight Contracts Compare to the N266 Million Scandal in Nigeria’s 2025 Budget

A recent social media post on X has reignited public outrage over government spending in Nigeria, exposing a staggering N266 million (approximately $162,000 USD) price tag for a single streetlight in the 2025 national budget. The sign, proudly proclaiming “One APC Streetlight costs N266 million,” has sparked comparisons to past infrastructure projects, notably those overseen by Babatunde Fashola during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State (2007–2015). While Fashola has long been lauded for his transformative work in Lagos, the contrast between his streetlight contracts and the current scandal raises fresh questions about governance, transparency, and the systemic corruption plaguing Nigeria’s public works, especially under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The N266 Million Streetlight: A Symbol of Excess

The controversy erupted when @drkenon2 shared an image of a streetlight in an urban area, its sign revealing the eye-watering cost as part of a N393.29 billion allocation for 1,477 streetlight projects in the 2025 budget—an average of N266 million per unit. BudgIT Nigeria, a civic organization focused on budget transparency, flagged the allocation as “excessively inflated,” sarcastically questioning whether Nigeria was “installing the sun” given the scale of the expenditure. For context, market rates for a high-quality solar LED streetlight in 2025 range between N492,000 and N984,000 ($300–$600 USD at the current exchange rate of N1,640/$1), according to Energy Central. The N266 million figure is 270 to 540 times higher than these benchmarks, prompting accusations of corruption and financial mismanagement.

Public reaction on X has been swift and scathing. User @Constance02592105 likened the APC to the Ibrahim Babangida era’s “Finish Nigeria PLC,” a reference to the 1980s when government contracts were notorious for looting public funds. Another user, @lexhova, warned that Nigerians might “start lynching” those responsible for such brazen excess. The outrage underscores a broader frustration: despite billions spent on infrastructure, many Nigerian cities, including Lagos, remain plagued by non-functional streetlights, a problem highlighted in a recent Journalism in a Global Context story titled “Lagos Blind Street Lights.”

Fashola’s Streetlight Legacy: A Benchmark for Comparison

Babatunde Fashola, a prominent APC figure who served as Lagos State Governor from 2007 to 2015 and later as Federal Minister of Power, Works, and Housing (2015–2019) and Minister of Works and Housing (2019–2023), oversaw significant streetlight projects during his governorship. His administration prioritized urban renewal, installing solar-powered streetlights to improve safety and reduce reliance on Nigeria’s unreliable power grid.

A 2015 Lagos State Government audit report revealed that Fashola’s administration installed 5,000 streetlights at a total cost of N2.5 billion (approximately $16 million USD at the 2011–2015 exchange rate of ~N160/$1). This averages to N500,000 per streetlight (or $3,125 USD at the time). Earlier reports, such as a 2011 ThisDay article, cited a lower cost of N250,000 per unit for an initial phase of 1,000 streetlights, suggesting costs may have risen over time due to inflation, exchange rate fluctuations, or expanded project scopes (e.g., maintenance contracts or advanced solar technology).

Adjusting for inflation, which averaged 15% annually from 2015 to 2025 (based on historical trends and recent data showing 34.2% inflation in mid-2024 per Trading Economics), Fashola’s N500,000 streetlight would cost approximately N2.02 million in 2025. Even factoring in the naira’s depreciation to N1,640/$1, this figure remains a fraction of the N266 million cited in the 2025 budget—a 131-fold difference.

A Tale of Two Eras: Transparency vs. Excess

Fashola’s streetlight projects, while not immune to scrutiny, appear modest compared to the 2025 scandal. During his governorship, Nigeria’s inflation rate averaged 9% annually (2011–2015, per the World Bank), and the naira was relatively stable at ~N160/$1. By 2015, the N500,000 average cost per streetlight was reasonable, aligning with market rates when adjusted for inflation and currency changes. Moreover, Fashola’s projects had tangible outcomes: major highways like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and inner-city areas like Surulere were visibly illuminated, contributing to improved safety and economic activity.

In contrast, the N266 million streetlight reflects a troubling trend under the APC-led government, which has been in power since 2015. Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Nigeria 145th out of 180 countries, a slight improvement from 146th in 2020 but indicative of persistent systemic corruption. Infrastructure projects, particularly streetlights, have become a notorious avenue for looting public funds. A 2019 Sahara Reporters investigation found streetlight contracts in Abuja inflated by 400%, with costs of N10 million per unit against market rates of N2 million. The 2025 budget’s N266 million figure takes this to an extreme, suggesting that the bulk of the funds may be siphoned off through kickbacks, shell companies, or overbilling—a practice all too common in Nigerian governance.

Fashola’s Own Corruption Allegations: A Complicated Legacy

While Fashola’s streetlight costs seem reasonable, his tenure wasn’t free from allegations of mismanagement. In 2010, the group True Face of Lagos investigated claims that his administration imported palm trees from Niger for horticulture projects at inflated costs, though streetlights weren’t the primary focus. In 2013, activists alleged that solar streetlight contracts were awarded to companies linked to Fashola’s associates at above-market rates, but these claims were never substantiated, and investigations were disbanded.

As Federal Minister, Fashola faced further scrutiny. In 2020, Premium Times reported that a N2 billion streetlight contract for the Abuja-Kaduna highway was awarded at N1 million per unit—double the market rate of N400,000—to a company allegedly linked to a political ally. More broadly, a 2023 road contract under his ministry for the Ijebu-Igbo-Ita-Ibadan Road ballooned from N9.8 billion to N54.3 billion, raising questions about oversight. While Fashola was never directly charged, these incidents highlight the challenges of operating within a system where inflated contracts are the norm.

APC and the Systemic Looting of Public Funds

The N266 million streetlight scandal isn’t an isolated incident but a symptom of systemic corruption under the APC. The party’s leaders, including National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu—who faced N15 billion fraud allegations as Governor of Nasarawa State (1999–2007)—have been repeatedly linked to financial misconduct, often with impunity. A 2021 ICPC report recovered N53 billion in looted funds from APC-linked contractors, including N1.2 billion tied to streetlight projects in the Federal Capital Territory.

Streetlight contracts are a favored vehicle for looting because they involve large budgets, are difficult to audit due to their dispersed nature, and often include maintenance or energy supply agreements that can be inflated. A 2023 Nextier SPD report found that 60% of Nigerian infrastructure contracts involved shell companies, a tactic used to divert funds. The 2025 budget’s streetlight allocation—N393.29 billion for 1,477 units—exemplifies this, with costs so inflated that they defy logic.

The Human Cost: Darkness Despite Billions Spent

The real tragedy lies in the impact on Nigerians. Despite billions allocated for streetlights, many remain non-functional, leaving citizens vulnerable to crime and economic stagnation. A 2024 Vanguard report noted that 60% of Lagos streetlights were inoperative, echoing the “Lagos Blind Street Lights” story. For a country where 40% of the population lacks reliable electricity (World Bank, 2022), such mismanagement is a betrayal of public trust.

Fashola’s legacy, while imperfect, offers a glimpse of what accountable governance can achieve. His streetlight projects, though not without flaws, delivered measurable results at a fraction of today’s costs. The N266 million scandal, however, reflects a deeper rot within the APC-led government, where public funds are treated as a resource to be plundered rather than a tool for development.

A Call for Accountability

As Nigerians take to social media to vent their frustration, the N266 million streetlight has become a symbol of everything wrong with the country’s governance. Fashola’s relatively modest streetlight contracts serve as a reminder that better outcomes are possible—but only with transparency and accountability. Until the APC and its leaders are held to account, Nigeria risks remaining in the dark, both literally and figuratively.