The Federal Government has said it will use the latest United States Department of State Fiscal Transparency Report as an external benchmark to strengthen ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s public financial management.
President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, made this known on Thursday while responding to the report, which assessed Nigeria against the US government’s minimum fiscal transparency standards.
Nigeria failed to meet the minimum requirements for the second consecutive year. According to the 2026 report, Nigeria was among 53 governments assessed as making no significant progress in fiscal transparency during 2025.
Dare acknowledged the concerns raised by the US government but urged that the findings be properly contextualised. He noted that the report primarily examined the public disclosure of national budget information, government contracts and natural-resource licences, and should therefore not be viewed as a complete assessment of all fiscal reforms in Nigeria.
The presidential aide said the government recognised shortcomings particularly in procurement disclosure, budget-execution reporting and audit processes, adding that reforms were already underway in these areas.
Government Highlights Transparency Reforms
Dare pointed to initiatives including the Open Treasury programme, public budget documentation, debt disclosures and public procurement reforms as evidence of Nigeria’s efforts to improve fiscal transparency.
He added that the government is strengthening digital procurement systems and other platforms designed to make public financial information more accessible, reliable and timely.
The government, he said, would neither dismiss the US findings nor treat them as a complete picture of Nigeria’s fiscal governance. Instead, the report would serve as an external benchmark for identifying areas requiring further improvement.
Dare reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening audit institutions, improving fiscal reporting and expanding public access to procurement information.
According to him, the ultimate goal is to build a more transparent, accountable and credible fiscal system that improves public confidence, supports investment and ensures that public resources are managed efficiently in the national interest.