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Breaking : Oil marketers demand N700 to N850/litre of diesel from Dangote refinery, as product produce locally in Nigeria
Oil marketers have called for a downward review in the pump price of the Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, being produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to between N700 and N850/litre, as operators plan to meet managers of the refinery next week.
The largest downstream marketing association, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, which made the call in an interview with The correspondent,said the N1,225/litre diesel price from the indigenous refinery was high because the commodity was produced in Nigeria and not imported.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria also called for a reduction in the price of Dangote diesel.
The groups called for the intervention of the Federal Government and urged the managers of the refinery to consider the high cost of logistics required to transport the product from Lagos where the refinery is located.
The oil marketers pointed out that the product is being landed in Nigeria by some importers at N1,250/litre following the appreciation of the naira against the dollar, adding that this should be another reason why the Dangote refinery that produces diesel in Nigeria should cut down its price.
According to the oil marketers, diesel produced at the Dangote refinery has no vessel cost, import charges, and other costs associated with the costs associated with the importation of the commodity into Nigeria.
This came as it was gathered that the marketers under the aegis of IPMAN and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, and PETROAN held separate meetings on Monday to deliberate on the pricing of petroleum products from the refinery, as well as other issues.
The $20bn refinery started pumping out diesel to the domestic market the previous Wednesday (March 27, 2024).
The report stated that the refinery sold a minimum of one million litres to each registered oil marketer that got the product from the plant since it commenced diesel sale.
Officials of the multi-billion dollar plant and oil dealers had confirmed that the product was dispensed to marketers at between N1,225/litre and N1,300/litre depending on the volume of purchase.
Reacting to the cost of the commodity during an interview with our correspondent on Monday, the National Public Relations Officer, IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, commended the refinery for the commencement in the release of refined products.
He, however, urged the managers of the plant to review the cost of the product downward, providing reasons why the price of Dangote diesel should be cheaper than what was imported.
Ukadike said, “During the construction of the Dangote refinery, we supported and welcomed it. Also, it was our prayers that an indigenous refinery be opened so that it will limit the expenses of logistics in terms of importation, clearing, and other activities associated with bringing products into the country.
“These are some of the hurdles that necessitated the high cost of AGO or diesel being imported into Nigeria. So now that a private refinery with a very high capacity has started producing petroleum products here in Nigeria, we would have appreciated that its products being sold to Nigerians will be cheaper than the landing cost of imported products.
“The dollar is currently about N1,270 to N1,290 and it is coming down. So if the dollar is a determinant factor in terms of the importation of petroleum products and diesel is sold by those companies that imported at N1,300/$, I believe that Dangote refinery should not measure the price of its diesel with the parameter of the forex.”
The IPMAN PRO stated that forex should not be the benchmark for the price of Dangote refinery’s diesel.
“Also, some other expenses on the cost of diesel produced by the refinery have been waived. So those expenses should reflect on the price of the product. The refinery is in Lagos, so there is no vessel voyage cost and this should be deducted from the price Dangote is giving us.
“Other marketers who imported their products are landing it at between N1,200 and N1,250/litre since the drop in forex. So Dangote should be giving us his product at around N700 to N850/litre since he is producing it here.
“When we buy at that price, it will further strengthen the naira, minimise profiteering and reduce the cost of goods and services that are transported using diesel. If you minus the cost spent on vessels, importation charges, and the cost of foreign exchange to some extent, the price of diesel will drop,” Ukadike stated.
He said oil marketers would also submit their price request to the Dangote refinery next week, adding that IPMAN would seek the intervention of the Federal Government on the matter.
“We are trying to seek a meeting with the refinery’s commercial department. I just came out of a meeting to speak with you, where we are discussing how to be able to persuade them to review their prices and also ask the government to intervene,” he said.
When asked to state when the association would meet with the refinery, Ukadike replied. “By next week we should get an appointment. That should be after the Sallah.” some
members of IPMAN had started purchasing the product from the refinery at the N1,225/litre price, though the association had stated that it would seek its price from the managers of the refinery.
“They started pumping out diesel to marketers last week. They also promised to sell aviation fuel soon. Some of my members confirmed this to me after making the purchase,” the National President, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, had told our correspondent last week.
He added, “So some of our marketers have started getting the product, but as an association, we have not got the product yet, because we want to get the actual rate that it will be sold to us when we buy in bulk. However, they have started selling diesel because some of our marketers have started buying.
“They are selling at N1,225/litre and the minimum volume they are giving is one million litres per marketer. Also, they assured us that they will release more products, but for now this (diesel) is what they are starting with. So we are expecting them to release PMS anytime from now.”
Maigandi had said the move by Dangote would definitely lead to a crash in diesel price, as the commodity rose to a high of about N1,700/litre recently.
“The price of diesel is going to fall because of the release of products from Dangote refinery. It is already coming down in Lagos,” Maigandi stated.
Another oil marketer, who is the Chief Executive, AF Ralph Oil and Gas Ventures, Dr Ralph Arokoyo, had also confirmed that the refinery started the sale of diesel to dealers, adding that the plant started dispensing the product about two weeks ago.
Asked if the Dangote refinery had started supplying diesel to the market, Arokoyo replied, “Yes they have started. They started diesel sales last Wednesday and they have sold to many marketers including members of IPMAN and MEMAN (Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria), as well as other private registered independent dealers.”
The President, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billis Gillis-Harry, also stated on Monday that the cost of diesel from the Dangote refinery should be reduced.
He said, “PETROAN has an agreement with Dangote to supply to us at N1,200, but we will still request a downward review. We have over 19,000 members and over 6,800 people are active and ready to do business. So we need to talk about so many issues.
“First of all, the logistics from Lagos to Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri, Zamfara, and other locations is not very easy. So those in Lagos can take the N1,200/litre price because their cost of logistics is low, but this is not so for dealers outside Lagos.
“So we will certainly still engage with them on how prices will come down. However, the good news is that they have rolled out products and we salute and congratulate them, especially the Executive Director, Commercial, Mr Rabiu Umar, for his courage in making sure Nigeria is wet with refined products.”
Gillis-Harry, however, stated that the refinery would have to recoup the funds used in constructing it, as several billions of dollars were borrowed to develop the plant.
Cautious optimism among manufacturers as Dangote begins diesel sale
Diesel price drops as Dangote sells N1,225/litre, supplies petrol May
“The refinery has collected billions of dollars as loans to put itself up. It must start to work to pay back these loans. And the only way to get back this money is by producing and selling, as well as exporting.
“Now he has started with domestic sales. So organisations like ours will have to sit down with them and work out the details and this will enable us to know exactly what their cost elements are. We want to sell and they want to produce,” he stated.
The PETROAN president said his association would not want to speak on the proposed cost of petrol that should come from the Dangote refinery until the plant starts producing the commodity for the domestic market.
“You can’t even talk about price when they’ve not started producing. Yes, they have discussed with PETROAN that they would produce PMS, but they have not started producing,” he said.
When told that the refinery was working to release PMS in May, Gillis-Harry said, “They’ve not started producing. So we won’t work on projections. Let them produce first and we will then know what their input, output, and pricing are. That is the only time we can talk about what prices they should sell.
“Dangote refinery has informed PETROAN that they will produce PMS but we await their production, and then we will know the inputs of their production before we talk about the pricing. We can’t tell them what to sell now.”
Officials of the multibillion-dollar refinery decided to stay mute despite several attempts to get their input on the matter.
However, a senior official at the Dangote refinery confirmed last week that the plant had started the sale of diesel to marketers, as the source noted that Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, would soon be released to the market.
“The product (diesel) is everywhere and they (marketers) are accessing it with ease. The product has been on sale to marketers since last week and the transactions have been better.
“The price of the product in various locations of the country will come down, and it is already coming down in many parts of Lagos since we started releasing products to marketers,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, had stated.
The Dangote refinery has faced a series of hurdles as it strives to release refined products into the market after it was officially inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May last year.
On February 8, 2024, our correspondent reported that indications emerged that lingering regulatory approvals stalled Dangote Petrochemical Refinery’s plan to release aviation fuel (Jet A1) and diesel for sale in the Nigerian market in January.
The report stated that weeks after the January 31 timeline set by the management of Africa’s largest refinery to begin the sale of its petroleum product in the local market, the refinery was still battling to cross the hurdles of the several layers of regulatory approvals.
It stated that the development came after the refinery began the production of refined petroleum products at the expansive facility.
On January 12, 2024, Dangote refinery announced that it had commenced the production of Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, and aviation fuel or JetA1.
Aliko Dangote, in a statement issued by his firm at the time, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support, encouragement, and thoughtful advice towards the actualisation of the project.
Dangote also thanked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NMDPRA, and Nigerians for their support and belief in the historic project, as he revealed that the facility would pump out diesel and aviation fuel in January, subject to regulatory approvals.
He said, “We thank President Bola Tinubu for his support and for making our dream come true. This production, as witnessed today, would not have been possible without his visionary leadership and prompt attention to detail.
“His intervention at various stages cleared all impediments thereby accelerating the actualisation of the project. We also thank the NNPC, NUPRC, and NMDPRA for their support. These organisations have been our dependable partners in this historic journey.
“We also thank Nigerians for their belief and support in this project. We have started the production of diesel and aviation fuel, and the products will be in the market within this month once we receive regulatory approvals.”
The refinery, Africa’s largest with a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, was built on a peninsula on the outskirts of the commercial capital Lagos.
Nigeria has for years relied on expensive imports for nearly all the fuel it consumes but the $20bn refinery is set to turn it into a net exporter of fuel to other West African countries, in a huge potential shift of power and profit dynamics in the industry.
The commencement of diesel sale in Nigeria by the plant is not its first refined products sale, as The PUNCH reported in February that the refinery issued tenders to sell two fuel cargoes for export.
This was the first from the new refinery, as the report stated that this was confirmed by trading sources with knowledge of the matter who spoke to Reuters at the time.
Nigeria has for years relied on expensive imports for nearly all the fuel it consumes but the $20bn refinery is set to turn it into a net exporter of fuel to other West African countries, in a huge potential shift of power and profit dynamics in the industry
Reuters had stated in its report that Dangote declined its request for comment. The oil firm also remained mute to several inquiries by The PUNCH at the time.
The report stated that the first cargo was 65,000 metric tonnes of low-sulphur straight-run fuel oil, which Dangote awarded to Trafigura, which was due to load at the end of February, three of the sources said, according to Reuters, as it added that Trafigura declined to comment at the time.
At least one refiner said they had been offered the cargo by Trafigura without elaborating further.
The second tender was for about 60,000 tonnes of naphtha, three other sources had stated. Two of them added that the tender closed on February 15. Loading details were not immediately available at the time.
Sources had also told Reuters that the refinery was preparing to deliver its first fuel cargoes to the domestic market within weeks.
The two fuels on offer were typical products of running light sweet crude through a crude distillation unit in a refinery without further upgrading capacity.
The refiner began buying crude in December last year and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has been the main supplier.
Dangote has also purchased some US oil and reportedly received two million barrels of US WTI Midland in early March, according to LSEG and Kpler ship tracking.
The Federal Government has barred ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies and other government appointees from embarking on official foreign trips without prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The government also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make evidence of valid approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation a mandatory requirement for processing official travel documents, including official, diplomatic and service visas for government appointees.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and addressed to top government officials and heads of major Federal Government institutions.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of government agencies and individuals claiming to represent the Federal Government, following the controversy surrounding the self-styled Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
The controversy has raised questions about how individuals claiming official status can undertake engagements in the name of Nigeria, including foreign engagements, without clear evidence of government authorisation.
However, the latest directive is broader and applies to Federal Government appointees generally.
The circular, titled “Non-Compliance by Government Appointees with the Requirement for OSGF Approval for Official Foreign Trips and the Mandatory Inclusion of OSGF Approval in the Processing of Official Visas,” said the government had observed that some officials continued to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining the required clearance.
It stated, “It has been observed with concern that some Federal Government Appointees continue to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), contrary to extant government directives and established administrative procedures regulating official travels outside the country.”
The SGF recalled that the government had issued several circulars over the years to regulate official foreign travel by ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies, boards, committees and other public officials.
According to the circular, these directives were issued “with a view to promoting accountability, fiscal discipline and effective coordination of Government business.”
The circular listed a September 18, 2023, circular on “Guidelines for Official Travels by Cabinet Members, Heads of Agencies and Public Officials”, a March 31, 2015, circular on “Guidelines for Official Trips by Chairmen of Federal Government Committees, Boards of Corporations and Government-Owned Companies” and a September 27, 2017, circular on “Additional Cost Control Measures to Guide Foreign Trips by Ministers and Senior Government Officials.”
It also referenced a March 8, 2018, circular on “Observed Indifferent Adherence to Extant Regulations Guiding the Conduct of Foreign Trips by Public Officials” and a November 20, 2012, circular on “Further Cost-Cutting Measures and Fiscal Prudence on Travel by Cabinet Members.”
Despite the previous directives, the SGF said cases of non-compliance had persisted.
The circular stated, “Despite these directives, instances of non-compliance continue to be recorded.”
It warned that the development had broader implications for government administration, stating, “This trend undermines Government’s efforts to ensure proper coordination, accountability, transparency, prudent management of public resources and effective monitoring of official foreign engagements undertaken on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The government consequently reaffirmed the requirement for prior clearance.
The circular stated, “Accordingly, all official foreign trips undertaken by Federal Government appointees shall continue to require prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before such trips are undertaken, except where otherwise expressly provided by law or by specific Presidential directive.”
It added, “This requirement is consistent with the principles of due process, centralised coordination of government business and prudent management of public resources, as reflected in the Public Service Rules, 2021 Edition, the Financial Regulations (Revised Edition, January 2009) and other extant Government directives.”
As part of the immediate measures to strengthen compliance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been directed to ensure that evidence of OSGF approval forms part of the documentation required for official foreign travel.
The circular directed that “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall include evidence of valid OSGF approval, where applicable, as a mandatory requirement in the processing of requests for official Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and all applications relating to official foreign travel by Government Appointees.”
The ministry was further directed to communicate the requirement to foreign missions and embassies operating in Nigeria.
It stated, “The ministry is further requested to formally communicate this requirement to all Foreign Missions and Embassies accredited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, advising that applications for Official, Diplomatic or Service Visas by Government Appointees should, where applicable, be accompanied by duly issued OSGF travel approval as part of the mandatory supporting documentation.”
The new measure therefore gives foreign missions an additional means of verifying whether a Nigerian government official travelling on official business has received the required authorisation.
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation was also assigned responsibility for checking compliance with the directive during audit exercises.
According to the circular, “The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation shall require every government appointee who undertook an official foreign trip at public expense to produce evidence of the requisite OSGF approval during audit exercises.”
The government further warned that public funds spent on unauthorised foreign trips would be subject to scrutiny.
It stated, “Any expenditure incurred in respect of official foreign travel undertaken without the required approval shall be reported appropriately in accordance with extant Financial Regulations and applicable audit procedures.”
The directive also places a direct responsibility on accounting officers and heads of Federal Government institutions to prevent the processing of public funds for unauthorised trips.
It stated, “Accounting Officers, Permanent Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers and Heads of Federal Government Agencies shall ensure that no expenditure relating to official foreign travel by government appointees is processed unless the requisite OSGF approval has first been obtained.”
The SGF consequently directed all ministers, permanent secretaries, accounting officers and heads of ministries, departments and agencies to ensure compliance.
The circular stated, “All Honourable Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers and Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of this Circular.”
It further stated that the directive was effective immediately, declaring, “This circular takes immediate effect and supersedes any administrative practice inconsistent with its provisions, without prejudice to existing extant regulations governing official foreign travel.”
The circular was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President; all Honourable Ministers and Ministers of State; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; National Security Adviser; Economic Adviser to the President; Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants.
It was also addressed to the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and Inspector-General of Police; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission; Chairman, Police Service Commission; Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau; Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal; Chairman, Federal Character Commission; Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service; Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission; Chairman, National Population Commission; Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission; Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Other recipients listed in the circular were all permanent secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments; Clerk of the National Assembly; Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria; Accountant-General of the Federation; Auditor-General for the Federation; and Directors-General and Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Government-Owned Companies.
The breadth of the recipients means the directive covers ministers, senior political appointees, permanent secretaries, security chiefs, heads of regulatory and anti-corruption bodies, electoral institutions, financial institutions, government agencies and government-owned companies.
The development is coming against the backdrop of the controversy over the purported PFIPC, which has drawn attention to the need for stronger verification of individuals and organisations claiming to represent the Federal Government.
The purported PFIPC and its self-styled Director-General, Adeyemi, have been at the centre of investigations into alleged impersonation and the use of questionable government documents.
The matter has also raised concerns about how purported government officials could engage public institutions and foreign entities while claiming to represent Nigeria.
The latest directive, however, does not single out the purported PFIPC or Adeyemi.
Instead, it establishes a general requirement that government appointees must obtain central approval before undertaking official foreign engagements.
By directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to demand evidence of OSGF approval, the government is also creating a formal verification mechanism for foreign missions processing travel documents for Nigerian officials.
The financial provisions of the circular further link official travel approval to accountability for public expenditure, as accounting officers have been directed not to process expenses relating to foreign trips unless the required approval has been obtained.
The measures are expected to strengthen the Federal Government’s control over official foreign engagements, reduce unauthorised travel and ensure that persons travelling abroad in the name of the government have the necessary approval to represent Nigeria.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has revealed that the Federal Government will provide qualified Nigerian shipowners with up to $25m each, under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, a move he said could strengthen indigenous shipping and create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
This comes as he also disclosed that disbursement of the long-awaited CVFF to qualified Nigerian shipowners to strengthen indigenous shipping and create thousands of jobs will soon commence.
Oyetola disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Monday, saying the government was finally moving to unlock the fund more than 20 years after it was established.
He said the initiative would help address one of the major challenges confronting Nigerian shipowners.
“After more than 20 years, we are finally moving to unlock the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) for Nigerian shipowners. This is a major step towards building a stronger Nigerian-owned shipping industry, creating jobs and ensuring that more of the value generated from activities in our maritime space stays in Nigeria.
“Under the CVFF, each successful applicant will be able to access up to $25 million in financing to acquire vessels, subject to the applicable assessment and approval process. This is significant because access to affordable, long-term financing has been one of the major challenges limiting the growth of Nigerian-owned shipping companies”, the minister stated.
On how the fund would improve the competitiveness of indigenous operators, the minister said, “With access to financing at very low interest rates, our shipowners can acquire modern vessels, expand their fleets and compete for coastal and offshore contracts that are currently dominated by foreign operators.
“Our objective is to ensure that more Nigerian-owned vessels operate on Nigerian waters, more Nigerian businesses participate in our maritime economy, and more Nigerians benefit from the wealth our waters generate. Providing Nigerian shipowners with the financial capacity to acquire vessels is a critical step towards reducing foreign dominance in our maritime space.”
Oyetola said he had directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to accelerate the process of disbursing the fund to qualified applicants.
He stated, “I have, therefore, directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to work closely with the 12 approved banks, known as Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs), to accelerate the disbursement of the fund to qualified applicants.
“NIMASA has so far received 92 applications. Of these, 20 have been forwarded to the Primary Lending Institutions, while one has so far been reviewed and forwarded for approval. To further speed up access, we have expanded the number of approved banks from five to 12 and launched the CVFF Application Portal to make the process more transparent, structured and accessible.”
Writers urged to promote inclusive maritime sector
The minister added that the expected impact of the fund extended beyond vessel acquisition, as increased indigenous ownership could stimulate several areas of the maritime economy.
He said, “The disbursement of the CVFF could help create a stronger indigenous fleet, which will in turn stimulate activity in shipyards, marine engineering, vessel maintenance, maritime logistics and other supporting industries. It could also create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, while strengthening Nigeria’s ship-owning and shipbuilding ecosystem.
“This initiative is part of the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s Blue Economy, strengthening indigenous capacity and ensuring that Nigerians take a greater share of the opportunities in our maritime sector.”
He also highlighted the government’s efforts to develop the human resources needed to support the maritime industry.
“Financing vessels is only one part of building a stronger indigenous maritime industry. We are equally investing in the people who will power this industry. So far, 222 seafarers have received free professional training, 333 cadets have completed their academic training and obtained degrees, while 135 cadets under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) have obtained their Certificates of Competency. In addition, 7,059 Nigerian seafarers have been placed onboard vessels to gain valuable sea-time experience.”
“We are determined to ensure that Nigerians own, operate and benefit from the economic activities taking place in Nigeria’s maritime space. We are building the capacity to make that happen — through vessel financing, skills development, indigenous enterprise and strategic investment in our maritime sector. The work continues”, the minister concluded.
The CVFF was established under the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act of 2003 to support Nigerian shipping companies in acquiring vessels and developing indigenous capacity. Its disbursement has, however, been delayed for more than two decades.
The Federal Government launched the CVFF application portal in January 2026 and announced that successful applicants could access up to $25m in financing. NIMASA subsequently began receiving applications from interested operators.
NIMASA had disclosed in April that it received more than 60 applications within four months of opening the portal, with the agency promising that the disbursement process would be transparent and strictly monitored.
The latest figure provided by Oyetola represents an increase in applications to 92, although only one application has so far been reviewed and forwarded for approval, according to the minister.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged failure to account for N33.75 billion in cash transfers meant for vulnerable Nigerians.
Falana, Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), also urged the anti-graft agency to work with the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF) to recover the funds if investigations establish that they were diverted.
He made the demand in a statement on Sunday following a report by the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, which raised concerns over the inability of the Federal Government to provide sufficient evidence that N33.75 billion in cash transfers reached genuine beneficiaries.
The disclosure is contained in the AuGF’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
According to Falana, the funds were intended for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households under the National Social Investment Programme.
He said the development was particularly concerning given the safeguards introduced by the Federal Government to strengthen the tracking of beneficiaries and prevent the inclusion of ghost recipients.
The National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) was established as a statutory agency under the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act 2022, with responsibility for implementing major social intervention programmes, including N-Power, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, the National Cash Transfer Programme and the National Social Safety Net Programme.
Falana said the agency had, however, been plagued by allegations of financial impropriety involving some officials.
He recalled that former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, had been investigated by the EFCC over alleged money laundering involving more than N37.1 billion.
He also cited the suspension of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Betta Edu, following a December 2023 memo directing the transfer of N585 million in public intervention funds to a private bank account.
Falana said the then Chief Executive Officer of NSIPA, Halima Shehu, was also suspended and questioned over alleged suspicious movement of funds.
He said the EFCC should conclude its investigations into the various allegations and make its findings public.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should liaise with the Auditor-General of the Federation with a view to recovering the missing N33.75 billion,” Falana said.
He urged the EFCC to immediately investigate what he described as a serious allegation of the criminal diversion of funds earmarked for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
“All the characters involved in the shameful conduct should be arrested and prosecuted without any delay,” he said.
Falana further raised concerns over the implementation of a $3.05 billion package of development programmes unveiled by President Bola Tinubu in July 2026.
The package, supported by the World Bank, is aimed at deepening poverty reduction, strengthening human capital and expanding economic opportunities across the country.
Falana urged the Federal Government to ensure that funds meant for poverty reduction reached their intended beneficiaries and suggested the establishment of a body comprising credible civil society organisations to oversee the disbursement of the development funds.
He said stronger accountability mechanisms were necessary to prevent public officials from abusing funds intended to support poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
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