Nigerian government ministries, departments, and agencies spent $116 million on contracts in 2021 that were either partially completed or never executed, according to a report released Monday by the country’s general auditor office.
The Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses found that more than $99 million was spent on contracts that were incomplete or not delivered, violating rules that bar payments for undelivered services. An additional $16 million was spent on contracts awarded without following proper procedures.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) were among the entities identified as having irregularities in their financial practices.
Financial corruption remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria. A separate 2023 report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) estimated that public officials received over $1.26 billion in bribes. The average cash bribe increased significantly since 2019, amounting to 0.35% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the report found.
These findings contradict earlier claims by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which suggested bribery was becoming less acceptable in Nigerian society.
Despite government efforts to combat corruption, the issue continues to undermine public trust, drain resources, and stall national development. Surveys consistently rank corruption among the top challenges Nigerians face, alongside the cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment.
Advocates are calling for urgent reforms to strengthen governance, enforce accountability, and curb corruption to safeguard Nigeria’s resources and foster development.
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