By SUNTV Global Channel | September 5, 2026
The Federal Government has been unable to provide sufficient documentation to verify that N33.75 billion reportedly disbursed as cash transfers to more than 3.2 million vulnerable Nigerians in 2023 reached genuine beneficiaries, according to findings contained in a report by the Auditor-General for the Federation.
The revelation is contained in the Auditor-General’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, which reviewed financial transactions of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) for the 2023 financial year.
According to the audit report, electronic transfers amounting to N33.751 billion were reportedly made to 3,295,207 households and beneficiaries across 35 states.
However, auditors raised concerns that payment vouchers submitted for the transactions did not contain complete details of beneficiaries.
The report further noted that a Remita statement needed to reconcile those who received payments with beneficiaries listed on the National Social Register and National Beneficiary Register was not made available for audit.
According to the Auditor-General, the absence of the necessary documentation made it difficult to independently authenticate the payments and determine whether the funds reached legitimate beneficiaries.
The auditors also alleged that efforts to access the relevant payment records were unsuccessful, stating that the audit process was hindered by the inability to obtain the required Remita statements.
The report warned that the lack of adequate documentation created risks of payments being made to ineligible or non-existent beneficiaries, as well as possible loss or diversion of public funds.
It recommended that officials responsible for the programme provide the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees with evidence supporting the disbursement and confirmation that beneficiaries received the funds.
The report further recommended that any amount that could not be properly accounted for should be recovered and returned to the Treasury.
Other Financial Irregularities Flagged
Beyond the N33.75 billion cash transfer payments, the audit report raised several other financial queries involving billions of naira.
Auditors questioned N36.744 billion paid through 215 vouchers in December 2023, alleging that the transactions were processed without the required internal and pre-payment audit checks.
Another N4.616 billion involving 101 payments was reportedly not supported by the necessary paid vouchers, raising further concerns about accountability.
The report also identified N350.18 million disbursed for the enrolment of unbanked beneficiaries that was not satisfactorily supported with documentation.
Other issues raised included:
- N393.71 million reportedly returned by state cash transfer units without sufficient evidence that it was credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- N280.42 million paid as mobilisation to Payment Service Providers without evidence of an Advance Payment Guarantee and other required procurement documentation.
- Store items valued at N89.51 million that were reportedly not properly entered into the office’s store records.
- N17.42 million spent on diesel through staff cash advances instead of the standard procurement process.
According to the report, management of the National Cash Transfer Office did not provide responses to the eight audit queries raised.
The findings come amid continued scrutiny of Nigeria’s social intervention programmes, which were designed to provide financial assistance to poor and vulnerable households.
The Federal Government’s cash transfer initiatives have received significant international funding, including support under the World Bank-backed National Social Safety Net Programme.
The latest audit findings are expected to intensify calls for greater transparency, accountability and stronger monitoring of public funds allocated to social intervention programmes across the country.
