The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given President Bola Tinubu seven days to investigate about ₦78.8 billion in questionable expenditure and unaccounted-for funds linked to federal cash transfer and social protection programmes.
SERAP made the demand in a letter dated 5 September 2026, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The organisation said its request was based on findings contained in the 2024 Annual Report of the Auditor-General for the Federation, published on 7 August 2026.
According to the Auditor-General’s report, the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) made electronic transfers totalling ₦33.751 billion to 3,295,207 households and beneficiaries across 35 states in 2023.
However, the Auditor-General said the available records were insufficient to establish that the funds reached genuine beneficiaries.
The audit report said payment vouchers did not contain complete beneficiary information and that Remita statements, which could have helped auditors verify and reconcile the payments, were not provided.
The Auditor-General further reported that efforts to obtain the Remita records were obstructed by NCTO accounts staff, leaving auditors unable to complete their verification.
The report also flagged ₦36.744 billion paid by the NCTO in December 2023 without prepayment or internal audit checks.
In another finding, the Auditor-General questioned ₦4.616 billion in expenditure that lacked adequate supporting documentation. The audit report expressed concern that the money may have been diverted.
Other NCTO issues identified by the Auditor-General included ₦350.182 million paid to state coordinators for enrolling unbanked beneficiaries without sufficient documentation; ₦89.511 million for store items that were reportedly neither delivered nor entered in the store ledger; and ₦280.42 million paid as mobilisation and advance payments to payment service providers without advance-payment guarantees.
The Auditor-General also questioned ₦393.71 million reportedly disbursed to nine states for beneficiary enrolment. Although the NCTO said the money had been returned to the Treasury, the audit found no evidence that the funds were credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
At the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), the Auditor-General identified another ₦2.55 billion in questionable expenditure, including ₦2.24 billion paid through 158 vouchers without prepayment audit and payments for laptops, advertisements, software and staff activities that auditors said lacked adequate supporting evidence.
SERAP said the findings raise serious questions about the transparency and effectiveness of Nigeria’s social protection system.
The organisation is asking President Tinubu to direct the relevant agencies and anti-corruption bodies to investigate the findings, publish the audit trail for the cash transfers, recover any funds found to have been misappropriated and prosecute anyone found responsible.
SERAP also wants the government to publish details of any recovered money, including the amount recovered, date of recovery and Treasury account into which the funds were paid.
The organisation warned that if it does not receive a response within seven days of the letter’s receipt or publication, it may pursue legal action, including before the ECOWAS Court and the World Bank Accountability Mechanism.
As of 6 September 2026, neither the Presidency nor the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction had publicly responded to SERAP’s demands.
The allegations have not, by themselves, established that the funds were stolen or diverted. They are matters raised by SERAP on the basis of the Auditor-General’s findings and would require investigation and due process to determine responsibility.
