President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the Federal Government’s personnel, payroll and administrative systems following concerns over alleged ghost workers, “fake agencies” and weaknesses in existing control mechanisms.
The President directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to coordinate and oversee the exercise.
The directive followed a resolution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) reached on August 19, 2026, after findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) raised concerns about alleged irregularities within government systems.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the audit would examine the extent of weaknesses in government control structures and determine how such gaps may have been exploited.
Audit to Focus on IPPIS and Payroll Systems
The forensic exercise will be carried out in two major phases.
The first phase will focus on a detailed review of key government platforms, particularly the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), alongside other personnel, pension, payroll and financial management systems.
The audit will investigate reported cases of ghost workers and payroll-related fraud, reconcile figures previously identified by the ICPC and trace how fictitious or ineligible individuals may have gained access to government payroll systems.
It will also examine existing controls relating to identity verification, biometrics, bank accounts and user access.
In addition, auditors will review the connections between IPPIS and other major government financial platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA.
The exercise is expected to determine whether identified irregularities resulted from technical weaknesses, procedural failures, poor segregation of duties or deliberate attempts to bypass established controls.
FG Agencies to Undergo Comprehensive Review
The second phase of the audit will extend to ministries, departments and agencies, commissions, councils, parastatals and other Federal Government bodies.
According to the Presidency, the review will create a definitive inventory of government entities and verify their legal status and basis for operation.
Auditors will also investigate how organisations obtain official recognition, access budgetary allocations, enjoy government correspondence privileges, secure office facilities and gain entry into official government systems.
The audit will further examine governance structures, procurement procedures, internal audit mechanisms and oversight systems across the Federal Government.
The objective is to identify and close loopholes that could allow unauthorised entities or individuals to gain access to public funds and government resources.
Tinubu Demands Independence and Professionalism
President Tinubu directed that the forensic audit must be conducted with the highest level of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.
The audit team will be granted access to relevant government records and systems and will work with the ICPC to ensure that its findings support ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recovery efforts.
The Presidency said the exercise is not expected to focus solely on identifying individual cases of fraud or administrative lapses.
Rather, it is aimed at strengthening the overall structure of government, improving data verification and reconciliation processes, reinforcing accountability and ensuring that only legally recognised institutions and eligible personnel have access to public resources.
The directive marks another major step in the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen fiscal governance, transparency and institutional accountability across Nigeria’s public sector.
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