The House of Representatives has raised concerns over what it described as the persistent underfunding of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAuGF), warning that continued financial neglect of the institution could exacerbate corruption and weaken accountability mechanisms in the country.
The concern was expressed by the House Committee on Public Accounts during its ongoing consideration of the Auditor-General’s 2026 budget proposal at the National Assembly.
The Committee noted that the proposed allocation of N15,881,134,488 to the OAuGF represents approximately 0.027 per cent of the Federal Government’s N58.4 trillion appropriation bill for 2026. Lawmakers described the figure as grossly inadequate in light of the Office’s constitutional responsibility to audit over 1,000 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as other publicly funded institutions.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Bamidele Salam, said it was unrealistic to expect the Auditor-General’s Office to effectively scrutinise a proposed N58.4 trillion expenditure with such limited funding.
He disclosed that financial constraints in previous years had forced the Office to audit only five out of nearly 100 Nigerian foreign missions worldwide. Salam further revealed that in the 2025 fiscal year, only four per cent of the capital allocation to the Office was released, significantly hampering its operations.
A breakdown of the 2026 proposed budget shows that N5.3 billion is earmarked for personnel costs, N5.6 billion for overheads, and N4.8 billion for capital projects.
The Committee observed that without adequate funding and timely release of allocations — particularly capital votes — the Office would struggle to deploy modern audit technologies, attract and retain skilled professionals, and improve institutional efficiency.
Lawmakers referenced global standards set by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), which stipulate that supreme audit bodies must enjoy adequate, independent and secure funding to perform their duties without external interference.
They also underscored the importance of budgetary autonomy, noting that audit institutions are better protected when they submit their budget proposals directly to the legislature or a designated parliamentary committee to safeguard their independence.
According to the Committee, weakening oversight institutions through chronic underfunding ultimately undermines transparency and accountability in public financial management.
“This is associated with weak institutions, which have contributed to the corruption ravaging our country,” Salam said.
The Committee consequently called on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to ensure sufficient appropriation and full release of funds to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, to strengthen its capacity to fulfil its constitutional mandate and curb corruption, waste and mismanagement of public resources.
