A civic-tech organisation, BudgIT, is raising alarm over what it describes as the Finance Ministry and Budget Office’s refusal to comply with Nigeria’s Fiscal Responsibility Act. The group says the government has failed to publish Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports, a legal requirement meant to guarantee transparency and accountability in public spending.
In a statement released on Thursday, BudgIT accused the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office of violating Section 30 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.
The law mandates the Finance Minister to publish quarterly implementation reports of the national budget within 30 days after each quarter.
While the previous administration consistently released at least four reports annually, BudgIT says the current government has failed to publish any since the second quarter of 2024 leaving nearly one year of reporting in arrears.
The organisation argues that Budget Implementation Reports are critical for assessing how funds are spent, the quality of budget execution, and the delivery of public services. It adds that withholding such information undermines public trust and denies stakeholders from the private sector to civil society the data they need for planning and advocacy.
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BudgIT also criticised the government for abandoning the Open Treasury portal, last updated in January 2025, which once provided daily, weekly, and monthly details of government spending.
The Ministry of Finance and Budget Office are yet to respond to the allegations. Analysts say while delays in data collation may occur, consistent failure to publish budget reports could weaken Nigeria’s commitment to fiscal transparency and international accountability standards.
(Editor: Ena Agbanoma)
