Report based on the Auditor-General for the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses
Nigerians who have been waiting for government cash support may be shocked by the latest findings from the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira.
In his 2024 report submitted to the National Assembly on 17 July 2026, the Auditor-General revealed that ₦33.75 billion was paid out in 2023 to more than 3.29 million households under the National Cash Transfer programme. But when auditors asked for proof that the money actually reached genuine poor people, the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) could not provide it.
What the Report Found
The money was transferred electronically to people listed on the National Social Register and the National Beneficiary Register across 35 states. On paper, 3,295,207 households were supposed to benefit.
However, the Auditor-General’s team discovered serious problems:
- The payment vouchers did not contain full details of the people who received the money.
- The important Remita statement that shows exactly who was paid was never presented to the auditors.
- Staff of the National Cash Transfer Office blocked and denied auditors access to the Remita records.
Because of this, the auditors said they could not confirm whether the beneficiaries were real people or ghost names. They warned that the money could have gone to ineligible persons or even fictitious accounts.
The report clearly states that this situation creates a high risk of loss of public funds.
Other Shocking Discoveries in the Same Office
The ₦33.75 billion issue is not the only problem. The same report flagged several other serious lapses at the National Cash Transfer Office:
- ₦36.74 billion was paid without proper pre-payment audit checks.
- ₦4.62 billion in payments could not be backed with vouchers.
- Hundreds of millions of naira meant for enrolling new beneficiaries in the states lacked proper documents and evidence.
In total, the wider federal audit report uncovered irregularities and weak controls worth over ₦1.34 trillion across many government agencies. The Cash Transfer Office accounted for a large share of the problems.
Why This Matters to Ordinary Nigerians
This money was supposed to help the poorest families cope with hardship, especially after the removal of fuel subsidy. Instead, the Auditor-General is saying the government cannot show clear evidence that the cash reached the people it was meant for.
Many Nigerians have complained that they never received any cash transfer, while official figures keep changing — sometimes claiming 10 million households, sometimes 15 million. The latest audit adds weight to those complaints.
What the Auditor-General Recommended
The National Programme Manager has been asked to appear before the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly to explain the ₦33.75 billion and produce proof that the money reached real beneficiaries.
If the money cannot be properly accounted for, the Auditor-General recommended that it should be recovered and returned to the government’s treasury.
The management of the National Cash Transfer Office did not respond to the audit queries before the report was finalised.
This report is drawn from the official findings of the Auditor-General for the Federation. It raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in one of Nigeria’s biggest social support programmes.
Nigerians deserve clear answers: Who exactly received the ₦33.75 billion, and how can the public be sure the money helped the poor?
