The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged the Federal Government to publish the identities of 3,295,207 households and beneficiaries reportedly paid a total of ₦33.75 billion under the national cash-transfer programme in 2023.
The demand followed a report by the Auditor-General for the Federation, which raised concerns over the government’s inability to provide sufficient documentation to independently verify that the funds reached genuine beneficiaries.
The Auditor-General’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in federal ministries, departments and agencies said electronic transfers totalling ₦33.751 billion were made to 3,295,207 households and beneficiaries across 35 states.
Reacting to the audit findings, the ADC called for the immediate publication of the complete beneficiary register, the relevant REMITA payment trail and the names of officials involved in administering the programme.
The party said the records should be made available so Nigerians can independently establish who received the money and whether the payments corresponded with beneficiaries listed in the National Social Register and National Beneficiary Register.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the demand in a statement in Abuja.
The party also called for a comprehensive investigation into the administration of the social intervention programme.
According to the audit report, the issue was not simply the absence of a published list but the failure of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) to provide records required to reconcile payments with registered beneficiaries.
Auditors said payment vouchers did not contain complete beneficiary details.
They also said the NCTO failed to provide a REMITA statement showing the people who actually received the transfers against those listed in the National Social Register and National Beneficiary Register.
The absence of those records, according to the Auditor-General, made it difficult to determine whether the recipients were genuine beneficiaries.
The audit report further stated that efforts by auditors to obtain access to the REMITA records were unsuccessful, with NCTO accounts staff accused of obstructing the audit process.
The Auditor-General recommended that the National Programme Manager account to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly for the ₦33.75 billion and provide evidence that the intended beneficiaries received the money.
The audit office also warned of the risk of payments being made to ineligible or fictitious beneficiaries and recommended recovery of any amount that could not be satisfactorily accounted for.
The findings have consequently intensified calls for greater transparency in Nigeria’s social-protection programmes, particularly as the government continues to expand cash-transfer initiatives aimed at supporting vulnerable households.
The ADC has taken a stronger political position, describing the development as evidence of serious problems in the management of social-intervention funds under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The opposition party accused the administration of failing to adequately protect funds intended for poor and vulnerable Nigerians and questioned the government's decision to continue expanding social-protection programmes without first resolving the accountability concerns raised over previous disbursements.
However, the Auditor-General's finding itself does not establish that the ₦33.75 billion was stolen. Rather, it says the available documentation was insufficient for auditors to authenticate the payments and confirm that the listed beneficiaries actually received the funds.
The controversy has placed renewed attention on the government's cash-transfer programme and the mechanisms used to identify, pay and monitor beneficiaries.
For the ADC, publishing the names of the 3.29 million households, alongside the payment trail, would provide an immediate opportunity for verification and help determine whether the beneficiaries exist and actually received the funds.
The party is also demanding that officials responsible for the programme answer questions arising from the audit report.
As pressure mounts, attention is now likely to turn to the Federal Government and the National Cash Transfer Office to provide the records requested by the Auditor-General and respond to the ADC's demand for greater disclosure.
The central question remains whether the ₦33.75 billion transferred in 2023 can be fully reconciled with identifiable beneficiaries and independently verified payment records.
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