NOSDRA unveils 19 new projects for 2025 fiscal year

The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) is preparing for a busy 2025 fiscal year, with 19 new projects slated for implementation.

This initiative aligns with the agency’s mandate to effectively manage and mitigate oil spill incidents across the country.¹

Under the directives of the federal government, NOSDRA is tasked with addressing challenges associated with oil spills, from detection to cleanup. To fulfil this mission, the agency has proposed a budget of ₦10,410,007,081 for 2025, with over 50% of this allocation earmarked for capital projects.

Findings by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that NOSDRA has identified 19 new projects with a planned expenditure of ₦583,976,856.

However, it is important to note that the federal government has instructed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to exclude new projects from their 2025 budget submissions unless these are tied to the completion of ongoing initiatives.

At the top of NOSDRA’s planned expenditure is a ₦60,000,000 project for the “Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Programme (DRR).”

The agency has also allocated ₦50,000,000 for the amendment of the NOSDRA Act via an amendment bill. The project, coded ERGP19229512, is described in the 2025 budget as the “NOSDRA Amendment Bill (Strategy/Planning), New” and accounts for approximately 5% of the agency’s capital project expenditure.

A budget of ₦45,381,280 has been proposed for the review and activation of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP). Additionally, ₦50,000,000 has been earmarked for the full automation of accreditation and certification processes.

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The Nigerian Tribune has also noted that NOSDRA is taking proactive steps to improve its efficiency in tax collection through the introduction of a “new automatic software for tax collection and payment.” The agency has proposed ₦30,000,000 for this intangible asset, which aims to enhance its efficiency in collecting revenue on behalf of the federal government.

For the “development of oil spill response policies and guidelines,” NOSDRA has allocated ₦31,595,575 to strengthen its response to and management of spill incidents nationwide.

To ensure Nigerian taxpayers receive value for money, the agency has earmarked ₦20,000,000 for monitoring and evaluating the expenditure of ₦583,976,856 on capital projects in the 2025 fiscal year, pending approval.