A coalition of leading civil society organisations has intensified calls on President Bola Tinubu to urgently assent to the Federal Audit Service Bill, warning that further delay could weaken Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, deepen public finance leakages, and erode confidence in government accountability systems.
The coalition made the appeal on Monday during a press briefing in Abuja, where it described the country’s existing audit framework as outdated and inadequate for addressing modern financial governance challenges.
The group comprises prominent transparency and governance organisations, including the Centre for Social Justice, ActionAid Nigeria, BudgIT, Accountability Lab, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, and the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative.
According to the coalition, Nigeria’s audit system has for decades operated without a comprehensive modern legal framework capable of effectively tracking public expenditure and enforcing accountability across government institutions.
It noted that the country still relies on elements of the colonial-era Audit Ordinance of 1956, which has not been fully incorporated into later national legal compilations, describing the situation as a “legal vacuum” in public financial oversight.
The organisations argued that this gap has weakened the statutory authority of the Auditor-General for the Federation, limiting the ability of audit institutions to hold ministries, departments, and agencies accountable for financial misconduct and irregularities.
They stressed that the Federal Audit Service Bill, already passed by the National Assembly and awaiting presidential assent, represents a major opportunity to overhaul Nigeria’s audit and accountability architecture.
The proposed law seeks to establish an independent Federal Audit Service and a Federal Audit Board with both financial and operational autonomy, aimed at strengthening oversight of public funds.
It also expands the powers of the Auditor-General, allowing for forensic investigations, examination of sensitive and classified expenditures, scrutiny of public-private partnerships, and tracking of suspected financial misconduct across both public and private entities.
Under the provisions of the bill, the Auditor-General would be empowered to summon individuals, demand financial records, impose sanctions on mismanaged funds, and work more closely with anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force.
Transparency advocates said the reform could significantly shift Nigeria’s accountability framework from a largely advisory audit system to one with stronger enforcement capacity and consequences for financial infractions.
The coalition further faulted the current system, stating that government agencies frequently ignore audit findings without facing meaningful sanctions, leading to repeated financial violations across fiscal years.
The bill also introduces strict timelines for the preparation and submission of financial statements and audit reports, a departure from the current system where delays are common and oversight is often weakened.
A key provision of the proposed law is the requirement that audit reports be made publicly accessible online after submission to the National Assembly, a measure the coalition described as critical to strengthening transparency.
According to the organisations, public access to audit reports would enable citizens, journalists, researchers, and civil society actors to more effectively track government spending and expose irregularities.
The bill also provides for improved welfare conditions and institutional independence for audit staff, aligning Nigeria’s audit practices with global standards set by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).
The coalition referenced the Lima Declaration on Auditing Precepts, which underscores the importance of strong audit institutions in preventing corruption and safeguarding public resources.
It further argued that the legislation is essential for restoring investor confidence in Nigeria’s fiscal governance, especially amid rising debt levels, subsidy-related controversies, revenue challenges, and concerns over public sector inefficiency.
Economic analysts have consistently linked weak auditing structures to wasteful spending, inflated contracts, and revenue leakages within government institutions.
The organisations maintained that signing the bill into law would strengthen fiscal discipline, improve value-for-money in public expenditure, and enhance Nigeria’s standing with international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
They also urged the Presidency to immediately constitute the proposed Federal Audit Board within 90 days of assent and to ensure that simplified summaries of the law are made available to the public to enhance understanding and compliance.
Political observers noted that the renewed push for the bill reflects growing frustration among governance advocates over persistent corruption concerns and limited visible impact of existing anti-corruption reforms.
For the coalition, the Federal Audit Service Bill has become a defining test of the administration’s commitment to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and its broader “Renewed Hope” governance agenda.
