“A budget of priorities”: Lagos spends N19bn on refreshments, N7.3bn on primary healthcare

The Lagos State Government spent N19.02 billion on refreshments and honorarium in the first six months of 2026, more than double the N7.3 billion allocated to primary healthcare, even as workers’ strikes and hospital staff shortages continue to cripple the state’s health sector.

The disclosure, based on an exclusive analysis of the state’s budget performance report, reveals a stark contrast in the government’s spending priorities, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE SPENDING GAP

According to the report, the state government spent N19.02 billion on refreshments and honorarium between January and June 2026.

In the same period, it allocated only N7.3 billion to primary healthcare.

The disparity is striking. Refreshments and honorarium are often associated with entertainment, hospitality, and discretionary spending.

Primary healthcare is the foundation of the state’s health system, serving millions of residents who cannot afford private care.

THe HEALTHCARE CRISIS

The spending figures come amid a worsening healthcare crisis in Lagos.

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Workers’ strikes have disrupted services at public hospitals. Hospital staff shortages have left patients waiting for hours, sometimes days, for treatment.

Many facilities lack basic equipment and essential medicines.In this context, the decision to spend nearly three times more on refreshments and honorarium than on primary healthcare is not just a budgeting choice. It is a statement of priorities.

WHY IT MATTERS

Budgets are moral documents. They reveal what a government values.

Lagos is Nigeria’s wealthiest state. Its internally generated revenue is the highest in the country.

It has the resources to provide quality healthcare for its residents. But it has chosen to spend more on refreshments and honorarium than on the health of its people.

For the residents of Lagos who rely on public hospitals, the message is clear. Their health is not a priority. Their lives are not a priority.

And the government that claims to serve them is serving itself.

The figures have been released. The disparity has been exposed. And the question remains: what will the people of Lagos do about it? ValidViewNetwork reports.