Misused public fundsTransparencyOversight & ethics enforcement

Auditor-General finds N33.75bn in 2023 cash transfers to 3.29 million households could not be verified as reaching genuine beneficiaries

Confidence: Corroborated · 5 sourcesNigeria · Sep 22, 2026

Subject of this story

National Cash Transfer Office

Also named

Oversight

Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation

Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly (Nigeria)

Advocate

Femi Falana, Human rights lawyer (Senior Advocate of Nigeria)

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)

What happened

Nigeria's Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, in its 2023 annual report on MDA non-compliance transmitted to the National Assembly in 2026, found that the National Cash Transfer Office could not produce complete beneficiary documentation for N33.75 billion transferred to over 3.29 million households, and that NCTO accounts staff obstructed auditors' access to REMITA payment records. NCTO publicly rejected characterizations of fraud, saying the transfers were processed through validated payment architecture. SERAP has since demanded President Tinubu order a probe into the wider N78.8bn cash-transfer irregularities the audit flagged.

By the numbers (2)

● confirmed by a primary document · ○ reported

Figures

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According to the Auditor-General's 2024 annual report, the federal government could not provide sufficient evidence that N33.75 billion in 2023 cash transfers meant for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households reached genuine beneficiaries; the National Cash Transfer Office rejects the fraud allegation and says it has presented evidence.33.8B NGN

2023National Cash Transfer OfficeAdded attribution to the Auditor-General report and NCTO response (Daily Trust). Merged duplicate fact 472b17e3.

1 source

allAfricaFG could not provide sufficient evidence that N33.75bn in cash transfers meant for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households reached genuine beneficiaries

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Nigeria's Auditor-General's annual report on non-compliance for the year ended 31 December 2024 identified N37.081 billion in payments without supporting documents across 21 ministries, departments and agencies; the report was sent to the National Assembly on 17 July 2026.37.1B NGN

2024Office of the Auditor-General for the FederationAdded report year (FY2024) per Daily Trust.

1 source

Daily TrustN37.081bn in payments without supporting documents across 21 MDAs

Sources (5)

Daily TrustCash Transfers office rejects fraud allegation, presents evidence, after Auditor-General queried N33.75bn in 2023 cash transfers to 3.29 million households.

Legit.ngAuditor-General says payments to 3.29 million Nigerians cannot be verified as reaching genuine beneficiaries.

VanguardSERAP tells Tinubu to probe N78.8bn cash-transfer scandal flagged in the Auditor-General's report, including the N33.75bn queried at NCTO.

allAfricaFG could not provide sufficient evidence that N33.75bn in cash transfers meant for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households reached genuine beneficiaries.

Daily TrustN37.081bn in payments without supporting documents across 21 MDAs; report transmitted to the National Assembly on 17 July 2026.

Response

National Cash Transfer Office

Statement given

Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.

What happened next (0)

No outcome recorded yet.

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