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Senate says MDAs yet to remit over N3trn

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Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are yet to remit over N3 trillion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Government between 2014 and 2020, says the Senate.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Sen.Solomon Adeola (APC- Lagos), made the revelation in a statement by Kayode Odunaro, his Media Adviser, on Sunday in Abuja.

The senator spoke at the ongoing investigation of remittances of revenue by MDAs and payment of 1 per cent stamp duty on contracts between 2014 and 2020.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Ms Zainab Ahmed, and Director-General of Budget Office, Mr Ben Akabueze, appeared before the committee.

Adeola said the unremitted revenue may have been trapped with the MDAs or spent on frivolous expenditures.

He said this is contrary to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007.

He said the minister, director general, budget office, and the Accountant General of the Federation, were invited to speak on the unremmited funds which was revealed from investigations of the committee.

According to Adeola, the investigation has so far revealed that many agencies were involved in illegalities relating to expenditure of funds that should be remmited into CRF.

He said many of the agencies abused the concept of operating surpluses to shortchange government, relying on ministerial circulars over and above the constitution and FRA-2007 as passed by the National Assembly.

The Minister said the huge budget deficits accompanying our yearly budgets has forced government to resort to huge borrowing to finance these deficits.

“The committee decided to probe the revenue remittances by agencies of government.

“The government cannot continue to borrow yearly while the revenue from agencies that the government is financing with the borrowings are spent contrary to the laws of the land.

“From submissions already made and calculations from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, about 60 Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs), may have about N3 trillion of government revenue still unremitted in their coffers. Or already spent on frivolous expenditure contrary to the Constitution and FRA 2007,” Adeola said.

He said since the commencement of the investigation, some agencies had complied in paying back millions of naira with receipts from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

The senator said if these revenues were paid to the CRF for proper appropriation by the parliament during budget considerations, the size of the nation’s deficit would be reduced and hopefully minimise borrowing.

“We cannot continue to run government business as we used to do in this time when there are huge demands for government to fund needed infrastructure and other socio-economic programmes” he said.

Adeola also revealed that the investigation has also led to the willing exit of some agencies from the budget of the government, while relying on their generated revenue to fund aspects of their operations.

He noted that this would reduce their dependence on the federation budget and assist in reducing budget deficits.

Responding, Ahmed commended the committee for the ongoing probe of revenue remittances.

She noted that in recent times, there had been a noticeable increase in revenue from agencies to the CRF as required by law.

The minister, however, explained that the executive arm is also examining the application of the template of calculating and deducting operating surpluses by agencies of government.

She said this is to ensure that the right amount was paid to government. (NAN)

 

 

 

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Business & Economy

Tinubu Tables ₦58.18trn 2026 Budget, Projects Sustained Economic Stability

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented a ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly of Nigeria, declaring that Nigeria’s economy is showing measurable signs of stabilisation following years of structural pressure.

Tagged “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” the 2026 fiscal plan is aimed at locking in recent macroeconomic gains while translating economic recovery into improved living standards for citizens.

According to the President, Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, while inflation moderated significantly, falling to 14.45 per cent in November 2025 from 24.23 per cent in March 2025.

“With stabilising food and energy prices, tighter monetary conditions, and improving supply responses, we expect the disinflationary trend to persist into 2026, barring major supply shocks,” Tinubu said during the presentation on December 19, 2025.

The President highlighted additional positive indicators, including improved crude oil production, rising non-oil revenues, renewed investor confidence, and external reserves climbing to a seven-year high of approximately $47 billion.

Under the proposal, the Federal Government projects ₦34.33 trillion in revenue against planned expenditure of ₦58.18 trillion, resulting in a budget deficit of ₦23.85 trillion, equivalent to 4.28 per cent of GDP. Tinubu emphasised that the fiscal framework is built on realism, prudence, and growth-driven assumptions.

He further assured lawmakers of tighter discipline in budget implementation, stressing that fiscal spending in 2026 would be more outcome-focused.

“Every naira spent or borrowed must deliver measurable public value,” the President said.

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CBN Governor Reassures U.S. Investors on Nigeria’s Economic Reforms, Stability

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CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso
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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has reassured United States investors of Nigeria’s commitment to macroeconomic stability and market-driven reforms, amid global economic uncertainty.

Cardoso gave the assurance during high-level engagements with U.S. business leaders and institutional investors in Washington, D.C., including the U.S.–Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable.

Speaking at the forum, the CBN governor said Nigeria remains focused on rules-based economic management, transparent markets, and predictable policy frameworks to restore investor confidence and drive sustainable economic growth.

He highlighted recent reforms in the foreign exchange market, the adoption of orthodox monetary policy measures, ongoing banking sector reforms, and the modernisation of the payments system. According to him, the reforms are aimed at stabilising the economy and supporting private-sector-led development.

The roundtable, convened by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center, focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, regulatory clarity, and opportunities to scale bankable projects across key sectors of the Nigerian economy. Discussions also emphasised efforts to deepen commercial and investment ties between Nigeria and the United States.

Commenting on the outcome of the engagement, President of the U.S.-Africa Business Center, Ms. Kendra Gaither, said investors are increasingly prioritising policy credibility and consistency.

She noted that clarity of rules, credible reforms, and disciplined economic management are critical factors driving investor interest, adding that Nigeria’s evolving message of discipline and opportunity is important in a global economy seeking stability and predictability.

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Tinubu Welcomes Nigeria’s Removal from FATF Grey List, Pledges Continued Financial Reforms

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President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the removal of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, describing it as a major milestone in the nation’s economic reform and global credibility drive.

The FATF, the world’s foremost body for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting on Friday at its plenary session in Paris, France.

The decision formally removes Nigeria from the list of countries under increased monitoring, following the nation’s successful completion of its FATF Action Plan after over two years of sustained reforms and inter-agency coordination.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said the development reflects Nigeria’s progress in strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

“Rather than treat our placement on the grey list in 2023 as a setback, we saw it as a call to action,” the President said. “This delisting is a strategic victory for our economy and a renewed vote of confidence in Nigeria’s financial governance.”

The President credited the achievement to far-reaching legal, institutional, and operational reforms implemented under his administration through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in collaboration with the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and other key ministries.

Tinubu commended the Director/CEO of the NFIU, Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, and her team for their diligence and professionalism, as well as the contributions of several ministries, agencies, and private sector representatives who participated in the National Task Force on AML/CFT.

He also acknowledged the support of international partners including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Nations, and the European Commission, for their technical assistance throughout Nigeria’s reform process.

President Tinubu assured that his administration will sustain and deepen the reforms that led to the country’s delisting.

“This is not just a technical accomplishment,” he said. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our financial reform agenda as we continue building a system Nigerians and the world can trust.”

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