The Auditor-Common of the Federation flagged an alleged ₦345.5 million reproduction cost by means of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Virtual Economic system to a contractor dealing with the Abuja ICT Park assignment.
The discovering used to be contained within the Auditor-Common’s Annual Document on Non-Compliance and Interior Keep an eye on Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Businesses of the Federal Executive for the 12 months ended 31 December 2024.
The particular audit of the verbal exchange ministry lined the length from 1 January to 31 December 2021 and raised 14 problems regarding the making plans, investment, procurement and implementation of the ICT Park assignment.
On the time the assignment used to be being carried out, Isa Ali Pantami, who used to be appointed by means of former President Muhammadu Buhari, served as Minister of Communications and Virtual Economic system from 2019 to 2023. He used to be succeeded by means of Bosun Tijani, who used to be appointed by means of President Bola Tinubu.
₦345.5 million reproduction cost
In Factor 13 of the findings, titled “Lack of Fund Because of Duplicated Bills to Contractor,” the Auditor-Common mentioned the ministry processed and licensed two separate bills of ₦345,499,262.74 each and every because the 3rd tranche of the 15 in step with cent mobilisation advance to the contractor.
The cost used to be meant to determine the Knowledge and Conversation Generation (ICT) Park, Abuja.
The Everlasting Secretary licensed the primary cost on 19 January 2022 thru cost voucher No. FMCDE/CAP/606/2021 dated 24 January 2022.
The similar accounting officer licensed the second one cost on 17 January 2023 thru cost voucher No. FMCDE/CAP/149/2022 dated 8 February 2023.
The document mentioned the 2 paid vouchers had similar contract references, quantities, and narrative descriptions, which it mentioned indicated reproduction cost.
It added that no document confirmed the primary cost have been reversed, adjusted, or handled as an accounting error.
“There used to be additionally no magazine access, refund, or interior memo linking the 2023 approval to any prior transactions. Those omissions exhibit a failure of supervisory evaluation, document reconciliation, and cost verification inside the Ministry,” the findings said.
The Finance and Accounts Division additionally didn’t justify the repeated authorisation or the loss of reconciliation between the Money E book and Vote E book, consistent with the document.
The findings mentioned the contractor, whilst claiming it won just one cost in 2023, submitted a financial institution commentary that excluded the essential length between 2 January 2022 and eight February 2023, fighting impartial verification of its declare.
The audit mentioned the bills posed dangers of fund diversion and lack of public budget, attributing this to weaknesses within the ministry’s interior keep watch over gadget.
The audit mentioned the ministry’s control didn’t reply to the alleged reproduction cost underneath the contract.
The Auditor-Common beneficial that ₦345.499 million be recovered and remitted to the Treasury, and that proof of remittance be forwarded to the Public Accounts Committee of the Nationwide Meeting.
₦447.67m from undisclosed investment assets
In Factor 11, the auditors puzzled ₦447.67 million in bills to the ICT Park contractor, which they mentioned may no longer be traced to the Executive Built-in Monetary Control Knowledge Device (GIFMIS).
The quantity comprised ₦102,166,730 and ₦345,499,262.74 paid to the contractor, vide paid vouchers, Ref. No. FMCDE/CAP/061/2021 and FCMDE/606/2022 on 11 June 2021 and 19 February 2022, respectively.
In keeping with the document, the bills seemed within the money ebook. The contractor said them within the growth document and financial institution commentary, however they didn’t seem in GIFMIS information, indicating they have been processed off the gadget.
The audit mentioned officers within the ministry’s Finance and Accounts Division may no longer give an explanation for the lifestyles or authorisation of the other investment assets.
The document mentioned the ministry additionally failed to supply documentation appearing lawful appropriation, supplementary approval, or an exterior investment settlement for the bills.
The audit mentioned the motion posed a chance of misappropriation of budget and diversion of public assets.
It mentioned the ministry’s control didn’t reply to questions concerning the historical past of the bills within the GIFMIS information.
The Auditor-Common beneficial getting better and remitting ₦447.67 million to the Treasury, with sanctions underneath paragraphs 3106 and 3129 of the Monetary Laws (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.
₦396.65 million assignment budget used for unrelated pieces
In Factor 9, the findings confirmed that N396.65 million from the ICT Park assignment fund used to be used to pay for consultancy services and products, workplace consumables, furnishings, and stationery printing.
The audit mentioned approvals have been processed for consultancy services and products in relation to the ICT Park. Nonetheless, bills have been made to unrelated providers for consumables and workplace furnishings that weren’t contained within the assignment’s Invoice of Amounts.
The document mentioned this lowered budget intended for the mobilisation and execution of the ICT Park assignment.
It additionally mentioned the ministry failed to supply proof of popularity of the virement from the Minister of Finance, Finances and Nationwide Making plans and the Nationwide Meeting.
It mentioned the movements posed a chance of misappropriation of budget and undue lengthen in of completion of the assignment, noting that the ministry failed to answer the query on using the assignment budget for unrelated pieces.
The Auditor-Common beneficial getting better and remitting ₦396.655 million to the Treasury, with sanctions underneath paragraphs 3106 and 3129 of the Monetary Laws (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.
₦1.85bn paid with out efficiency bond
In Factor 10, the auditors additionally discovered that N1.848 billion used to be paid to the contractor with out securing a sound Efficiency Bond.
The document mentioned the Bureau of Public Procurement had directed in December 2020 {that a} minimal 10 in step with cent Efficiency Bond be secured for main contracts sooner than cost of mobilisation charges.
Then again, the ministry first launched ₦1.348 billion in mobilisation bills between March 2021 and February 2023 with out acquiring the desired bond.
The document mentioned that just about 3 years after the contract award, the contractor submitted a dedication letter dated 29 December 2023, promising to furnish a Efficiency Bond upon receiving an extra N500 million. This quantities to ₦1.848 billion.
It mentioned the movements uncovered public budget to loss, noting that the ministry failed to answer the query at the cost.
The Auditor-Common beneficial getting better and remitting ₦1.848 billion to the Treasury, and enforcing sanctions underneath paragraphs 3106 and 3129 of the Monetary Laws (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.
₦500 million paid with out intervening time efficiency certificates
In Factor 12, the Auditor-Common mentioned the ministry launched an extra ₦500 million to the contractor on 29 December 2023 with out an Intervening time Efficiency Certificates or verified growth document.
The document mentioned the cost used to be made after the contractor won the 15 in step with cent mobilisation charge.
As a substitute of an Intervening time Efficiency Certificates, the ministry depended on a dedication letter from the contractor promising to supply assignment cars and adopt in a foreign country technical journeys upon receipt of the extra budget.
The audit mentioned the movements posed a chance of diverting public budget and dropping executive budget. It mentioned that the ministry failed to answer the query at the cost.
The Auditor-Common beneficial getting better and remitting N500 million to the Treasury and enforcing sanctions underneath paragraph 3106 of the Monetary Laws (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.
Untimely overseas journeys of ₦90 million
In Factor 8, the auditors puzzled a ₦90 million provisional sum for overseas journeys to investigate cross-check technical apparatus for the ICT Park.
In keeping with the findings, the sum of ₦90 million used to be incorporated and described as “Permit a provisional sum of N90 million to cater for Consumer’s and Experts’ representatives for overseas journeys for the inspection of technical apparatus to be deployed for the assignment,” within the priced Invoice of Amounts (BOQ) for the contract for the ICT Park assignment, with a freelance sum of ₦8.984 billion.
The document mentioned the expenditure used to be being deliberate whilst the assignment used to be nonetheless at basis degree, sooner than structural works, apparatus procurement or set up had commenced.
It mentioned no proof used to be supplied to justify the technical want, licensed agenda, or cost-benefit evaluate supporting the timing of the proposed journeys.
The audit mentioned the motion demonstrated vulnerable expenditure prioritisation and deficient sequencing of assignment actions, noting that it posed a chance of undue lengthen in of completion of the assignment and diversion of public budget.
Once more, the ministry didn’t reply to questions concerning the untimely overseas commute.
The Auditor-Common beneficial getting better and remitting the N90 million. It additionally beneficial sanctions underneath paragraphs 3106 and 3115 of the Monetary Laws (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.
Denial of get admission to to assignment paperwork
The audit additionally raised considerations concerning the ministry’s failure to present auditors get admission to to assignment paperwork.
In Factor 14, the document mentioned auditors have been denied get admission to to paperwork together with wishes evaluate experiences, financial institution mandates for ICT assignment bills, cost vouchers, due diligence experiences at the contractor and the Environmental and Social Have an effect on Overview document.
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The document mentioned a number of requests for project-related paperwork made between March and June 2025 weren’t responded by means of the ministry.
It mentioned the denial of get admission to to procurement paperwork contravened the Charter and risked concealing monetary knowledge, diverting executive earnings, and the lack of public budget.
The Auditor-Common requested the Everlasting Secretary to justify the denial of get admission to and bring all paperwork in relation to the ICT Park assignment.
The document said that the ministry didn’t reply to the problems raised within the audit and that the findings remained legitimate till the suggestions have been carried out.
Different problems
Different problems incorporated a ₦94.05 million charge overrun attributed to the failure to habits feasibility research and an Environmental Have an effect on Overview sooner than the ICT Park assignment started.
The Auditor-Common additionally flagged ₦19.47 million in prices connected to not on time website online handover, whilst wondering the absence of resident technical supervision regardless of a ₦160 million provision for it.
The document additional cited insufficient budgetary provisions that contributed to assignment delays and the ministry’s failure to habits or file a wishes evaluate sooner than procurement.
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