The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has warned that persistent underfunding of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) could severely weaken government oversight and create room for corruption.
The committee issued the caution on Wednesday in Abuja during its review of the Auditor-General’s 2026 budget proposal at the National Assembly.
Lawmakers described the proposed N15.88 billion allocation to the OAuGF — representing just 0.027 per cent of the N58.4 trillion Federal Government budget — as grossly inadequate, given the constitutional responsibilities of the office.
The Auditor-General is mandated to audit more than 1,000 ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs) and other government-funded institutions nationwide.
‘Unrealistic’ Expectations
Committee Chairman, Bamidele Salam, said it was unrealistic to expect the Auditor-General’s office to effectively oversee a N58.4 trillion national budget with limited financial resources.
He noted that funding shortfalls in previous years had significantly hampered operations, citing the inability to adequately audit Nigeria’s foreign missions.
According to Salam, only five out of about 100 overseas missions were audited in recent years due to resource constraints. He further disclosed that last year, only four per cent of the capital allocation to the office was released.
“This weak financing of oversight institutions undermines transparency and accountability in public financial management and fuels corruption in our country,” Salam said.
Budget Breakdown and Reform Needs
A breakdown of the proposed N15.88 billion allocation shows N5.3 billion earmarked for personnel costs, N5.6 billion for overhead expenses, and N4.8 billion for capital expenditure.
The committee stressed that adequate and timely release of funds — particularly capital allocations — is crucial for upgrading audit technology, recruiting and retaining skilled professionals, and strengthening institutional capacity.
Lawmakers also referenced standards set by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), which advocate independent, secure and sufficient funding for supreme audit institutions to operate without interference.
They reiterated the need for budgetary autonomy, allowing the Auditor-General’s office to submit its budget directly to the legislature to safeguard its independence.
The committee urged the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to prioritise full and prompt funding of the office, noting that a well-resourced audit institution is critical to preventing waste, mismanagement and corruption in public finance.