By Our Reporter
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The National Assembly Joint Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa/NEPAD has approved the 2025 budget performance of the NEPAD Agency after subjecting its financial records and implementation claims to detailed scrutiny.
The endorsement followed a joint budget defence session on Wednesday, during which members moved and seconded a motion for approval.
Despite clearing the agency’s performance, lawmakers grilled its management over discrepancies in reported fund utilisation, particularly a declaration of “nil utilisation” against a 24 per cent capital release.
Committee members disputed the claim, pointing to budget lines that showed partial spending. They cited figures including N15 million spent out of N50 million, N19 million out of N300 million, N22.5 million out of N75 million, and N60 million out of N200 million as evidence of utilisation.
Responding, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, Hon. Jabiru Salisu Abdullahi Tsauri, explained that the 24 per cent referred to an administrative release under a 30 per cent tranche agreement between the Executive and the National Assembly, which was not fully backed by cash for implementation.
Tsauri disclosed that the agency had written to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over a six per cent shortfall and other funding gaps affecting project execution.
Unconvinced by verbal clarifications alone, the committee directed the agency to submit supporting documents within 48 hours, including correspondence and letters of instruction relating to the capital releases.
The lawmakers also reviewed the agency’s 2026 budget proposal and raised concerns about vague descriptions in several zonal intervention projects. They noted that some line items lacked specific project locations and detailed cost breakdowns, which they said could undermine transparency and accountability.
The committee instructed the agency to revise and resubmit the proposal with clearer project details to strengthen legislative oversight.
Compliance with the federal character principle was another major issue during the session. A review of the agency’s nominal roll indicated imbalances in staff representation. While Tsauri maintained that postings were handled by the Office of the Head of Service, the agency’s Human Resources representative admitted that it was not fully compliant.
Lawmakers stressed that adherence to the federal character principle is mandatory for all government institutions and urged NEPAD’s management to work with relevant authorities to address the disparities.
The committee also expressed support for a proposed bill seeking to grant NEPAD full commission status, which would allow the agency to independently recruit and manage its personnel. Members 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 overhead, and N8.64 billion for capital projects.
However, lawmakers cautioned the agency against embarking on projects without confirmed fund releases and emphasised the need for prudent financial management and transparency.
Speaking with journalists after the session, Tsauri described the approvals as a reaffirmation of accountability 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.
He acknowledged that funding delays remain a systemic challenge across government agencies, noting that budget allocations must be supported 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 stated.
Tsauri also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fiscal reforms aimed at improving funding efficiency, expressing optimism that the administration’s measures would enhance budget performance in the coming years.
“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,” he added.
