NASS Approves NEPAD 2025 Budget Performance, Seeks Clarifications on Fund Releases and Compliance Gaps

NASS Approves NEPAD 2025 Budget Performance, Seeks Clarifications on Fund Releases and Compliance Gaps

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa/NEPAD has approved the 2025 budget performance of the NEPAD Agency following a detailed scrutiny of its financial records and implementation claims.

The approval came during a joint budget defence session on Wednesday, after a motion was moved and seconded by committee members.

Despite the endorsement, lawmakers subjected the agency to rigorous questioning over discrepancies in its reported utilisation of funds, particularly its declaration of “nil utilisation” against a 24 per cent capital release. Committee members pointed to several budget lines reflecting partial spending, including N15 million out of N50 million, N19 million out of N300 million, N22.5 million out of N75 million, and N60 million out of N200 million, arguing that these entries indicated clear utilisation.

In response, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, Hon. Jabiru Salisu Abdullahi Tsauri, explained that the 24 per cent represented a release approved administratively as part of a 30 per cent tranche agreement between the Executive and the National Assembly, but which had not been fully backed by cash for implementation. He disclosed that the agency had formally written to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation regarding a six per cent shortfall and other funding gaps affecting execution.

The committee, unsatisfied with verbal explanations alone, directed the agency to submit all supporting documents within 48 hours, including correspondence and letters of instruction relating to the capital releases.

Beyond the 2025 review, lawmakers examined the agency’s 2026 budget proposal, flagging concerns over vague descriptions in several zonal intervention projects. Some line items lacked specific project locations and detailed breakdowns, raising accountability concerns. The committee instructed the agency to revise and resubmit the proposal with clearer project descriptions to enhance transparency and legislative oversight.

Compliance with the federal character principle also featured prominently. A review of the agency’s nominal roll suggested imbalances in staff representation. While Tsauri maintained that staff postings were handled by the Office of the Head of Service, the Human Resources representative conceded that the agency was not fully compliant. Lawmakers emphasised that adherence to the federal character principle is mandatory and urged NEPAD management to work with relevant authorities to address disparities.

The committee also expressed support for a proposed bill seeking to grant NEPAD full commission status, enabling the agency to independently recruit and manage personnel. The committee pledged to prioritise the bill once formally presented.

Following deliberations, the committee approved the agency’s 2026 budget proposal of N9.52 billion, comprising N328.6 million for personnel costs, N549.8 million for overheads, and N8.64 billion for capital projects. Lawmakers, however, cautioned the agency against committing to projects without confirmed releases and stressed the importance of prudent financial management and transparency in implementation.

Speaking with journalists after the session, Tsauri described the approval of both the 2025 performance and the 2026 proposal as a reaffirmation of accountability mechanisms within government.

“This is an annual process. We are accountable to the people of Nigeria through the National Assembly. I am fully satisfied that our 2025 budget performance has been approved and that our 2026 proposal has also received the endorsement of the Joint Committee,” he said.

Acknowledging systemic funding delays across government agencies, Tsauri stressed that budget allocations must be backed by timely releases to ensure effective implementation. “It is well known that without releases, budgets cannot be implemented as planned. We experienced challenges in 2024 and 2025 due to release constraints,” he noted.

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fiscal reforms aimed at improving funding efficiency, expressing optimism that the current administration’s measures would strengthen budget performance going forward. “As a growing nation, reforms are continuous. Adjustments will be made until sustainable solutions are achieved, and we are already seeing progress under this administration,” Tsauri added.