The House of Representatives has indicted 31 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) over financial infractions uncovered in the 2019 and 2020 reports of the Auditor Genreral of the Federation
The breaches, amounting to over ₦103.8 billion and $950,912.05, include unauthorised expenditures, procurement and contract irregularities, as well as unremitted revenues.
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This action aligns with earlier investigative reports by PREMIUM TIMES, which exposed that MDAs illegally withdrew ₦13.95 trillion and incurred over ₦5.8 trillion in unapproved extra‑budgetary spending in 2019, a trend of opaque financial practices now addressed institution‑wide.
Motivated by a motion moved by the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun) during Tuesday’s plenary, the House directed anti-corruption agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to recover the misappropriated funds and ensure their return to the federal treasury.
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The committee, after scrutinising the Auditor-General’s annual reports for 2019 and 2020, cited systemic financial indiscipline across multiple government entities. The adopted recommendations, in accordance with the House Standing Orders, include recoveries, sanctions and institutional measures to prevent recurrence.
Highlights of infractions and directives
Among the agencies cited, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was faulted for unauthorised expenditure on a presidential lodge at the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia.
It was directed to refund over ₦124 million and nearly $795,000. An additional ₦31.7 million and $155,923 were spent without appropriation. The ministry was also ordered to recover ₦49.4 million disbursed for renovation without following procurement guidelines and ₦9.2 million paid to embassy staff without documentation.
The Bank of Agriculture came under scrutiny for failing to recover ₦75.6 billion in loans.
The PAC instructed it to publish the names of debtors in at least three national newspapers. It was also asked to recover an additional ₦350 million and provide evidence of compliance within 90 days.
The Nigeria Correctional Service was directed to remit ₦7.47 million in unpaid withholding tax to the government while the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) was cited for the illegal retention of 12 vehicles, including eight official and four operational ones by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and for procurement violations worth over ₦12 million. Its accounting officer faces recommended sanctions.
Kwali Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory was flagged for disbursing ₦82 million to over 100 unidentified beneficiaries. The former council chairman was instructed to recover and remit the sum and present documentary evidence.
For its part, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was asked to work with the Accountant-General of the Federation to compile a breakdown of all items credited to both the Federation and Non-Federation Accounts.
At the Rural Electrification Agency, the committee uncovered irregularities totalling over ₦1.3 billion. The former managing director was ordered to refund ₦394 million spent on unapproved projects and another ₦969 million that was illegally transferred to a Eurobond account. Additional unauthorised expenses included ₦4.2 million on publicity.
The Veterinary Council of Nigeria was cited for failure to remit ₦1.1 million in stamp duties and over ₦19 million in internally generated revenue and excess payments. Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited was directed to refund over ₦1 billion, including ₦250 million allegedly misappropriated by contractors and staff and ₦95 million in unremitted taxes collected between 2012 and 2018. It was also asked to recover nearly ₦700 million in staff and trade debts.
The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc disbursed ₦14.4 billion in unapproved salaries and allowances. The committee ordered full recovery of this sum, alongside ₦432 million representing under-deducted employee entitlements and ₦91.5 million spent on ICT procurement without NITDA clearance.
Other key recommendations
In its 2020 report, the PAC directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to refund over ₦452 million for unauthorised cash advances, virements and prepayment violations. It was also asked to retrieve an official Toyota Prado SUV from an officer.
The Cross River Basin Development Authority was asked to refund ₦3.5 billion after failing to provide 731 payment vouchers and to account for multiple procurement and tax irregularities.
The PAC mandated the EFCC to investigate ₦278.8 million in contingencies hidden in contracts between 2014 and 2019 and ₦169.1 million in alleged compensation payments.
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion was asked to recover ₦27.1 million spent on unauthorised foreign travel and ₦12.4 million in unremitted VAT.
The Federal Government Girls College, Imiringi in Bayelsa Stare was asked to refund ₦32.1 million due to negligence in awarding a contract for construction on unsuitable land. The Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy was directed to refund ₦4.8 million spent on an unapproved international training in South Korea. The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria was cautioned for spending ₦10.2 million on legal fees without required approvals.
The National Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Lagos was found to have overpaid a contractor by ₦7.2 million for an office building. Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company was ordered to recover ₦188.3 million disbursed as property loans by its former CEO Marylin Amobi and associates. The committee said legal channels must also be used to retrieve $69.3 million owed by a Benin Republic-based firm. Additionally, ₦63.6 million worth of assets allegedly converted for personal use and ₦7 million in under-deducted stamp duties are to be recovered.
The National Film and Video Censor Board was cited for failing to remit ₦4.3 million in withholding tax and was asked to refund ₦20.2 million spent on unauthorised police training. The EFCC is to probe ₦18.5 million and ₦43.5 million paid for possibly fictitious contracts. The Treasury was advised to suspend allocations to the board due to violations of e-payment policy, while ₦27.2 million spent on foreign trips without approval must be refunded.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) was sanctioned for exceeding approved mobilisation thresholds amounting to ₦110.8 million. The Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiation was directed to refund ₦71.9 million for unauthorised virements and provide proof of tax remittances totalling ₦198.1 million. It must also refund ₦123.7 million and ₦149 million spent on unauthorised international trips and was warned over illegal recruitment and ICT procurements.
The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Enugu was cautioned by the committee for advancing ₦14 million in unauthorised cash. The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka was told to refund ₦27.4 million paid to external solicitors without approval and investigate ₦165.8 million used for unauthorised investments. The Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger State, was directed to investigate ₦456 million worth of direct procurements and contract splitting and recover over ₦600 million in unauthorised payments and virements. It must also refund ₦42.2 million overpaid to a contractor.
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The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria was asked to recover ₦5.8 million in stamp duties while the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe must refund ₦66.8 million for unauthorised virements and remit ₦2.6 million in unpaid taxes. Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital was ordered to remit ₦47.6 million in outstanding statutory taxes.
The ICT Department of the Nigeria Police Force headquarters was directed to refund ₦1.1 billion spent on technology procurement without NITDA’s approval. The department was also warned to ensure full access to its audit records going forward.
PAC asked the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to refund ₦351 million unaccounted for under its Geneva Labour Desk programme. It is also to investigate questionable expenditures exceeding ₦1.5 billion across consultancy, job centres and skill acquisition projects.
The Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development was ordered to refund ₦16 million in tax losses linked to cash advance misuse. The University of Uyo was directed to recover ₦36.9 million overpaid to a contractor and investigate ₦488.1 million in unexecuted contracts. The university must also refund ₦12 million in irregular allowances, ₦47.7 million in unpaid taxes, and provide an explanation for a ₦1.02 billion unauthorised contract variation.
The PAC called for immediate enforcement by EFCC, ICPC, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
It also recommended legislative or administrative reforms to empower agency heads to appoint external auditors when boards are not in place. It suggested that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation issue a circular or an amendment to the Financial Regulations to address the gap.
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