A recent audit of federal expenditure has revealed that the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning authorized the disbursement of ₦19,690,031.00 for international travel without obtaining the mandatory prior clearance from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
This fiscal oversight took place during the administration of Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, who held the position of Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning between August 2019 and May 2023. The review, which scrutinized the ministry’s financial activities for the 2020 budget cycle, officially flagged the transaction as a violation of established government protocols regarding the funding of foreign trips.
According to the findings, the ministry failed to provide documented evidence that it had secured the required authorization before proceeding with the expenditures. Existing regulations, specifically Establishment Circular SGF/OP/I/S.3/XII/158 issued on October 15, 2019, dictate that all annual travel itineraries for statutory engagements must receive express approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or the Office of the Head of the Civil Service within the first quarter of each fiscal year.
The audit report emphasized significant risks associated with this regulatory lapse, noting that such failures could facilitate the loss of government funds, payments for non-existent services, or the diversion of public resources. These concerns are viewed as particularly troubling given the ministry’s critical responsibility as the primary manager of Nigeria’s national treasury.
In its defense, the ministry’s management asserted that delegates are only selected when adequate funding is available and noted that all travel expenses are accounted for within approved departmental budgets. Furthermore, the ministry maintained that it strictly adheres to the waiver and approval requirements mandated by the Head of Service, insisting that necessary authorizations were secured as required.
This disclosure arrives amidst heightened public scrutiny concerning the volume of foreign travel expenditures across various government agencies. The same audit revealed that eight Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) collectively expended over ₦728 million on international trips and conferences without proper authorization during the 2020 fiscal year. Among these agencies, the Securities and Exchange Commission was identified as having accounted for the largest individual share of the unapproved spending.
Source: NaijaProbe