Pages: 1-13

Abstract

Government budgeting is apportioning of the funds or financial resources to satisfy the numerous desires of the citizenry. This important government activity is often articulated annually in a document captioned ‘the budget’. Although there are laid down frameworks of government budgeting, there are also crucial activities associated with government budgeting which though not manifest but to a great extent shape and influence the quality of budget outcomes. These human and behavioral aspects of the budget are termed politics of government budgeting. Proper understanding of the politics of government budget is crucial for appreciating the full import of the budget. This article examines the relationship between politics and budgeting. It highlights the features of the environment of government budgeting in Nigeria and how they affect the budgeting process. Finally, and most importantly, it examines the various political strategies adopted by key actors and how these influence government budgeting.