Bombshell Audit: Auditor-General Uncovers ₦124.12bn Contract Irregularities Across Federal MDAs

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The Auditor-General for the Federation has uncovered contract and procurement irregularities valued at about ₦124.12 billion across several Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), raising fresh concerns over compliance with procurement rules and internal financial controls.

The findings are contained in the Auditor-General’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in MDAs for the year ended December 31, 2024.

The report, signed by the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, was transmitted to the National Assembly on July 17, 2026, and details a range of breaches involving contract awards, procurement procedures and payments for works and services that auditors found had not been executed or properly executed.

An analysis of the audit findings shows that the ₦124.12 billion figure is spread across three major categories of contract-related irregularities.

The largest category involved about ₦76.96 billion in irregularities relating to contract awards across 29 MDAs.

The National Population Commission recorded the highest amount in this category, at approximately ₦10.97 billion, while the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development recorded about ₦5.91 million.

According to the audit findings, some of the contracts were awarded in circumstances that did not comply with the requirements of Paragraph 2921(i) of the Financial Regulations 2009, which provides for open competitive bidding and the application of uniform criteria in the evaluation of bids, except where specific exemptions apply.

Another ₦19.91 billion was linked to contracts awarded by 15 MDAs in what the auditors described as violations of procurement due process.

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) accounted for the largest share of this category, with approximately ₦14.70 billion, representing about 74 per cent of the total.

The report referenced provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007, particularly requirements concerning approvals and the responsibilities of accounting officers before contracts are awarded.

The third category involved approximately ₦27.25 billion in payments for contracts or jobs that auditors found had either not been executed or had not been properly executed.

The National Institute of Construction Technology and Management (NICTM), Uromi, Edo State, recorded the highest amount in this category, at about ₦11.36 billion.

The auditors linked such payments to a breach of Paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations 2009, which prohibits the payment of public funds for goods or services that have not been supplied or performed.

Taken together, the three categories amount to approximately ₦124.12 billion, highlighting what the Auditor-General described as recurring and systemic weaknesses in financial management and procurement processes across federal institutions.

The report classified the issues as “cross-cutting”, indicating that similar control weaknesses were identified across multiple MDAs.

Chira said the findings pointed to “pervasive control deficiencies and institutional lapses”, warning that such weaknesses could undermine public financial management, accountability and the effective delivery of government services.

The ₦124.12 billion contract-related findings, however, represent only a portion of the broader financial concerns identified in the 2024 audit.

The full report reportedly identified more than ₦1.34 trillion in various financial lapses across federal MDAs. These included unsupported payments, unretired cash advances, unremitted government revenues, and payments made without adequate pre-payment audit or supporting documentation.

The findings have been forwarded to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly for further examination, investigation and any appropriate action, including possible recovery of public funds where warranted.

The audit revelations are likely to intensify scrutiny of procurement practices within federal agencies and raise questions about why similar audit queries continue to recur despite existing laws, financial regulations and oversight mechanisms.

The findings in the report do not, by themselves, establish criminal liability against individuals or agencies. Rather, they represent audit observations and reported breaches requiring responses, clarification and appropriate action by the relevant authorities.

The National Assembly committees are expected to examine the issues and determine whether funds should be recovered, additional documentation provided or further investigations undertaken.