Nigeria 2016 budget: Nigerians react on Twitter as documents go missing

Nigerians have taken to social media to discuss the fact that hundreds of copies of official documents of the 2016 budget have gone missing. The budget was presented by President Muhammadu Buhari in December and was to be discussed at the senate on 13 January.

An MP who spoke on condition of anonymity told the BBC the official documents went missing at the parliament. However, the Premium Times said that senate leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, alleged the documents had been stolen. He later denied he made such comments, arguing that "a budget cannot be missing".

He told the Daily Trust Newspapers: "The budget cannot be missing. A copy can be laid, it is a symbolic copy, the budget will be in custody of both chambers. It cannot be stolen, it cannot be missing. Once the budget is laid in the National Assembly, it has become the property of National Assembly."

Some have expressed concern over the delay that the missing documents will cause, fearing that it might deepen an ongoing economic crisis.

However, it is believed that copies of the budget handed over at the lower house have not gone missing and will be distributed for discussion.

While presenting the budget, Buhari announced Nigeria would increase domestic borrowing to N984bn (£3.3bn, $4.9bn) and foreign borrowing to N900bn, totalling N1.84tn.

Buhari also forecast the country would face a N2.22tn deficit. Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer and petroleum exports make up 90% of the country's total revenue. The economic crisis was sparked by a fuel shortage and falling oil price that now stand at $36 to $38 per barrel, compared to $50 at the beginning of 2015.

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