Growing calls for transparency and accountability are trailing revelations surrounding over N1.23 trillion in recovered assets and billions of naira earmarked for social welfare programmes, with civil society groups and legal experts urging authorities to ensure public funds reach their intended beneficiaries.
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), alongside prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), has called for intensified scrutiny of recovered public assets and alleged irregularities in government cash transfer programmes.
According to figures cited by HEDA, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered approximately N1.23 trillion and $684.48 million between October 2023 and June 2026. The recoveries reportedly included 1,177 properties, 251 plots of land, 370 vehicles and a 753-unit housing estate in Abuja.
HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, commended the anti-graft agency for the recoveries, noting that part of the recovered resources had already been channelled into public programmes, including allocations of N50 billion each to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDITCORP).
However, concerns have emerged over separate findings by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation regarding the implementation of social intervention programmes.
Falana urged the EFCC to collaborate with the Auditor-General in investigating discrepancies involving public funds and ensuring that any officials found responsible are held accountable.
The concern follows reports indicating that authorities could not provide sufficient evidence to confirm that N33.75 billion intended for more than 3.29 million vulnerable households was successfully delivered to legitimate beneficiaries under government cash transfer schemes.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has also called on President Bola Tinubu to direct relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Cash Transfer Office and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office, to provide detailed accounts of how the funds were utilised.
Beyond the disputed cash transfers, SERAP further requested investigations into an additional N76.24 billion in expenditures linked to the National Cash Transfer Office and N2.55 billion connected to the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office.
Analysts say the growing demands for accountability underscore public expectations that anti-corruption efforts should not only focus on recovering assets but also ensure that recovered funds translate into tangible benefits for citizens, particularly vulnerable Nigerians who depend on government intervention programmes.
