An Auditor-General’s report has raised fresh questions over N33.75 billion transferred to more than 3.29 million households under Nigeria’s cash transfer programme in 2023.
The funds were transferred electronically to beneficiaries across 35 states through the National Cash Transfer Office, according to the audit findings.
The report said auditors could not establish from the records provided that the money reached genuine beneficiaries.
However, the National Cash Transfer Office has rejected any interpretation that the audit observation proves the funds were stolen, diverted or lost.
What the Audit Found
The Auditor-General’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses identified several concerns surrounding the 2023 cash transfer transactions.
The auditors said payment vouchers lacked complete beneficiary information.
They also said the REMITA records needed to reconcile payments with the National Social Register and National Beneficiary Register were not made available during the audit.
The audit consequently recommended that programme officials provide evidence that the beneficiaries received the N33.75 billion.
It further recommended recovery of any amount that could not be satisfactorily accounted for.
Cash Transfer Office Responds
The National Cash Transfer Office said the audit findings should not be presented as evidence of financial loss.
The agency said beneficiary records were maintained electronically and could be reconciled with corresponding payment records.
It also disputed claims that its officials deliberately obstructed auditors from accessing REMITA information.
According to the office, emails and other documents show that beneficiary data and payment information were transmitted for verification.
The agency said an audit query requiring clarification is different from a final finding of fraud or misappropriation.
Wider Audit Concerns
The N33.75 billion transaction was one of several issues identified in the audit.
The report also queried N36.74 billion in payments made without the conventional prepayment audit process.
Another N4.62 billion involving 101 payments lacked the supporting vouchers required for examination, according to the audit findings.
The auditors also raised questions over N350.18 million released for enrolling unbanked beneficiaries, saying supporting documentation for the amount was inadequate.
The report further questioned a N280.42 million advance payment to payment service providers.
Why the Issue Matters
The dispute comes as poverty and social protection remain major policy concerns in Nigeria.
The controversy has also triggered calls for stronger oversight of government intervention programmes.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the N33.75 billion issue and recover any funds found to have been diverted.
The African Democratic Congress has separately criticised the handling of social intervention programmes and called for greater transparency.
The Bigger Accountability Question
The central issue is now whether the government can reconcile the audited payments with identifiable beneficiaries and provide the supporting records requested by auditors.
The National Cash Transfer Office says the records exist and can be independently verified.
The Auditor-General’s findings, meanwhile, show that the documentation available during the audit was insufficient to establish that the payments reached the intended recipients.
That distinction is important. The audit raises serious accountability questions, but it does not by itself establish that N33.75 billion was stolen.
The next step is therefore reconciliation, verification and, where necessary, investigation by the relevant oversight institutions.
