Abia government says N210m photocopier budget line was clerical error

• Abia State denied approving N210 million for a single photocopier in its 2026 budget.
• The government blamed a formatting error during final document compilation.
• Officials say the actual photocopier provision remains N12 million.

Government moves to calm outrage over budget line

The Abia State government has moved to clarify public confusion after a budget line showing N210 million for the purchase of a photocopier in its 2026 estimates sparked outrage online and across policy circles.

In a statement released Saturday, the state ministry of budget and planning said the figure was never intended to represent the cost of a photocopier, insisting that a technical formatting error during the final compilation of the budget document caused the amount for a different capital project to appear next to the wrong item.

According to the ministry, the figure that surfaced on page 289 of the document was mistakenly displaced and did not reflect the actual provision for office equipment, which remains significantly lower.

Officials explain how the mix-up happened

The ministry said the error occurred during the layout process of the voluminous budget file, leading to a misalignment of descriptions and figures. As a result, the amount meant for a separate infrastructure project was inadvertently positioned beside the photocopier entry, creating the impression of inflated procurement.

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Officials stressed that the intended allocation for the procurement of a Sharp photocopier and other office equipment for the state’s Lagos liaison office is N12 million, as correctly stated on page 60 of the same document.

Meanwhile, the N210.8 million figure that caused the uproar was originally earmarked for the rehabilitation and repair of staff quarters and residential buildings attached to the liaison office.

The government said the error had since been identified and the relevant agency notified to ensure the correction is reflected in official records.

Procurement process rules out inflated purchases

The ministry also emphasized that even if such a figure had appeared correctly, no single office purchase could proceed without passing through mandatory procurement layers, including scrutiny by the tenders board and final approval by the finance and general purpose committee and the state executive council.

Officials maintained that the state’s procurement framework makes it structurally impossible for an office item like a photocopier to be purchased at such a cost without triggering multiple internal red flags.

Government apologises, reaffirms transparency pledge

Describing the incident as a purely clerical and presentational mistake, the ministry said there was no inflation in the actual cost of the equipment and no attempt to conceal or manipulate figures.

The government apologised for the confusion the budget entry caused and reiterated its commitment to transparency, fiscal discipline, and accountability in the management of public funds, adding that measures were being taken to prevent similar errors in future budget publications.