“NCPC Faces Backlash Over Expensive Lawmakers’ Trip to Rome”

The Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has faced criticism after spending a reported N498 million of public funds to host Federal lawmakers on a pilgrimage‑related trip to Rome, Italy. While the journey was framed as a faith‑based engagement, many Nigerians have questioned the high cost in light of ongoing economic challenges and competing national priorities.

According to critics, the expenses included travel, accommodation, and related logistics for the lawmakers and their aides, prompting calls for greater transparency and accountability in how public money is used for religious trips. Opponents argue that such expenditures should be reconsidered or scaled back, especially when essential services like healthcare and education are underfunded.

Supporters of the trip, however, have defended it as part of efforts to promote spiritual enrichment and strengthen ties between Nigerian Christian leaders and international religious institutions. They also point out that Christian pilgrimages — like their Muslim counterparts — are officially supported by the government through allocations in the national budget for the NCPC each year.

The controversy highlights a broader public debate over government involvement in funding overseas religious pilgrimages, with some Nigerians urging a rethink of policy so that scarce public funds are directed toward pressing socio‑economic needs instead of foreign travel.