The Federal Government has come under scrutiny following its failure to publish budget performance reports covering four consecutive quarters, raising fresh concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
An investigation revealed that the Budget Office of the Federation has not made publicly available reports covering the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first, second and third quarters of 2026.
Checks on the website of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning showed that the most recent budget performance report available to the public covers the third quarter of 2025.
The development means that important information about the Federal Government’s revenue generation, expenditure and budget implementation for the outstanding quarters remains inaccessible to Nigerians.
Consequently, citizens, civil society organisations, researchers and other stakeholders are unable to independently assess how much revenue the government has generated, how much it has spent and the extent to which funds allocated to various sectors have been utilised.
Budget performance reports provide important details about the government’s financial activities, including revenue inflows, expenditure levels and the implementation of approved budgetary provisions. They also help Nigerians determine whether government spending aligns with approved allocations and whether revenue targets are being achieved.
Under the established reporting framework, budget implementation reports are expected to be published quarterly to provide citizens with regular updates on the country’s financial position.
However, the prolonged delay in releasing the outstanding documents has raised questions about the Federal Government’s compliance with existing fiscal transparency requirements.
The Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, specifically requires the government to monitor budget implementation and make relevant public financial information accessible to Nigerians.
Section 30(2) of the Act mandates the Ministry of Finance to publish quarterly budget performance reports through print and electronic media, including its official website, not later than 30 days after the end of each quarter.
Similarly, Section 50 of the Act provides for the publication of a summarised report on budget execution within 30 days after the end of every quarter.
These provisions are designed to promote fiscal discipline, strengthen transparency and enable citizens to monitor how public funds are generated and spent.
The failure to publish the outstanding reports has therefore raised concerns about whether the government is meeting its statutory obligations to provide timely information on public finances.
The absence of the documents is particularly significant as quarterly budget reports allow citizens and accountability institutions to monitor government spending, evaluate public programmes and identify possible differences between approved allocations and actual expenditure.
Without access to the reports, Nigerians may find it difficult to determine whether public resources are being deployed according to approved priorities or whether government agencies are meeting their budgetary targets.
The development also comes amid increasing calls for greater openness and accountability in the management of public resources.
Financial accountability experts have consistently maintained that access to government budget information is essential to democratic governance, as it allows citizens to scrutinise public spending, question financial decisions and demand explanations where allocated funds are not properly utilised.
In August 2025, BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation advocating transparency in public finance, accused the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office of the Federation of violating existing legal requirements by failing to publish budget implementation reports.
The organisation stressed that the publication of such reports was not merely an administrative responsibility but a legal obligation and an important demonstration of the government’s commitment to transparency.
BudgIT also noted that public sector accounting principles require governments to regularly disclose financial information to encourage public participation in the management of national resources.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, had previously argued that the Nigerian Constitution does not impose a strict one-year implementation period for government budgets.
However, accountability advocates have continued to express concerns over delays in the publication of fiscal information, warning that such practices could weaken public confidence and undermine transparency in government financial management.
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