The House of Representatives Committee on Science, Engineering and Technology has resolved that the 2026 budget proposal of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) be struck out of the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The decision followed the failure of the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olushola Odusanya, to appear before the committee for budget defence.
Chairman of the committee, Inuwa Garba, said no government appointee should consider himself above legislative oversight, noting that if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could personally present the national budget to the National Assembly, other officials must also honour invitations. He described the CEO’s absence as disrespectful to the Constitution and democratic governance.
The committee further stepped down consideration of NACETEM’s budget and said its action would serve as a deterrent to other public office holders who might ignore parliamentary summons. Lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the agency’s overall budget performance.
Members of the committee criticised NACETEM’s low Internally Generated Revenue, which stood at N385,000 in 2024 and N285,860 in 2025. They also questioned the sharp increase in overhead expenditure from N95.40 million in 2025 to N195.73 million in the 2026 proposal.
Responding, the council’s Registrar, Veronica Nkechi-Eze, said the agency’s only revenue sources were registration fees and annual professional dues. She admitted there was no clear explanation for the significant rise in overhead costs, adding that the increase was not part of the original submission to the Budget Office.
