The National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) is facing eight audit queries over ₦76.24 billion in transactions, including billions of naira in payments that auditors could not verify due to missing records and denied access to payment statements.
The findings are contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2024 report on financial transactions and control weaknesses in 2023. An analysis by UDEME, a project of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, detailed the concerns.
The NCTO reported paying ₦33.75 billion to about 3.29 million households across 35 states. However, auditors said payment vouchers lacked full recipient details, while access to Remita statements was denied.
“All efforts to obtain access to the REMITA statement were obstructed and denied by NCTO accounts staff, thereby frustrating the audit process,” the report stated.
Auditors recommended that National Programme Manager Abdullahi Imam account for the money and provide evidence to the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees. They also called for recovery and payment into the Treasury.
Another ₦36.74 billion involving 215 payment vouchers was processed in December 2023 without required prepayment audits. Auditors also questioned ₦4.62 billion in 101 payments without supporting vouchers.
The report further flagged ₦350.18 million from ₦3.09 billion transferred to states for enrolling vulnerable households, ₦393.71 million in refunds without proof of receipt, and ₦280.42 million in advances paid without guarantees.
The NCTO failed to respond to some queries, while other responses were deemed unsatisfactory. The findings do not prove that all questioned funds were stolen.
Meanwhile, SERAP has sued at the ECOWAS Community Court over ₦78.8 billion in questioned spending involving the NCTO and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office. It seeks disclosure, investigations and recovery of any funds unlawfully spent.
The NCTO manages conditional cash transfers for poor households listed in the National Social Register under a World Bank-funded project.
