Communications Ministry made ₦345.5 million duplicate payment for Abuja ICT Park project

The Auditor-General of the Federation flagged an alleged ₦345.5 million duplicate payment by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to a contractor dealing with the Abuja ICT Park project.

The discovering was contained within the Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government for the 12 months ended 31 December 2024.

The particular audit of the communication ministry lined the interval from 1 January to 31 December 2021 and raised 14 points regarding the planning, funding, procurement and implementation of the ICT Park project.

At the time the project was being carried out, Isa Ali Pantami, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, served as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy from 2019 to 2023. He was succeeded by Bosun Tijani, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu.

₦345.5 million duplicate payment

In Issue 13 of the findings, titled “Loss of Fund Due to Duplicated Payments to Contractor,” the Auditor-General stated the ministry processed and authorized two separate funds of ₦345,499,262.74 every because the third tranche of the 15 per cent mobilisation advance to the contractor.

The payment was supposed to determine the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Park, Abuja.

The Permanent Secretary authorized the primary payment on 19 January 2022 by way of payment voucher No. FMCDE/CAP/606/2021 dated 24 January 2022.

The identical accounting officer authorized the second payment on 17 January 2023 by way of payment voucher No. FMCDE/CAP/149/2022 dated 8 February 2023.

The report stated the 2 paid vouchers had equivalent contract references, quantities, and narrative descriptions, which it stated indicated duplicate payment.

It added that no document confirmed the primary payment had been reversed, adjusted, or handled as an accounting error.

“There was also no journal entry, refund, or internal memo linking the 2023 approval to any prior transactions. These omissions demonstrate a failure of supervisory review, record reconciliation, and payment verification within the Ministry,” the findings acknowledged.

The Finance and Accounts Department additionally did not justify the repeated authorisation or the shortage of reconciliation between the Cash Book and Vote Book, in response to the report.

The findings stated the contractor, whereas claiming it obtained just one payment in 2023, submitted a financial institution assertion that excluded the important interval between 2 January 2022 and eight February 2023, stopping unbiased verification of its declare.

The audit stated the funds posed dangers of fund diversion and lack of public funds, attributing this to weaknesses within the ministry’s inside management system.

The audit stated the ministry’s administration didn’t reply to the alleged duplicate payment beneath the contract.

The Auditor-General advisable that ₦345.499 million be recovered and remitted to the Treasury, and that proof of remittance be forwarded to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly.

₦447.67m from undisclosed funding sources

In Issue 11, the auditors questioned ₦447.67 million in funds to the ICT Park contractor, which they stated couldn’t be traced to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).

The quantity comprised ₦102,166,730 and ₦345,499,262.74 paid to the contractor, vide paid vouchers, Ref. No. FMCDE/CAP/061/2021 and FCMDE/606/2022 on 11 June 2021 and 19 February 2022, respectively.

According to the report, the funds appeared within the money e book. The contractor acknowledged them within the progress report and financial institution assertion, however they didn’t seem in GIFMIS information, indicating they have been processed off the system.

The audit stated officers within the ministry’s Finance and Accounts Department couldn’t clarify the existence or authorisation of the choice funding sources.

The report stated the ministry additionally failed to supply documentation displaying lawful appropriation, supplementary approval, or an exterior funding settlement for the funds.

The audit stated the motion posed a danger of misappropriation of funds and diversion of public property.

It stated the ministry’s administration didn’t reply to questions concerning the historical past of the funds within the GIFMIS information.

The Auditor-General advisable recovering and remitting ₦447.67 million to the Treasury, with sanctions beneath paragraphs 3106 and 3129 of the Financial Regulations (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.

₦396.65 million project funds used for unrelated objects

In Issue 9, the findings confirmed that N396.65 million from the ICT Park project fund was used to pay for consultancy companies, workplace consumables, furnishings, and stationery printing.

The audit stated approvals had been processed for consultancy companies referring to the ICT Park. Still, funds have been made to unrelated suppliers for consumables and workplace furnishings that weren’t contained within the project’s Bill of Quantities.

The report stated this diminished funds meant for the mobilisation and execution of the ICT Park project.

It additionally stated the ministry failed to supply proof of approval for the virement from the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the National Assembly.

It stated the actions posed a danger of misappropriation of funds and undue delay in completion of the project, noting that the ministry failed to reply to the query on the usage of the project funds for unrelated objects.

The Auditor-General advisable recovering and remitting ₦396.655 million to the Treasury, with sanctions beneath paragraphs 3106 and 3129 of the Financial Regulations (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.

₦1.85bn paid with out efficiency bond

In Issue 10, the auditors additionally discovered that N1.848 billion was paid to the contractor with out securing a legitimate Performance Bond.

The report stated the Bureau of Public Procurement had directed in December 2020 {that a} minimal 10 per cent Performance Bond be secured for main contracts earlier than payment of mobilisation charges.

However, the ministry first launched ₦1.348 billion in mobilisation funds between March 2021 and February 2023 with out acquiring the required bond.

The report stated that almost three years after the contract award, the contractor submitted a dedication letter dated 29 December 2023, promising to furnish a Performance Bond upon receiving a further N500 million. This quantities to ₦1.848 billion.

It stated the actions uncovered public funds to loss, noting that the ministry failed to reply to the query on the payment.

The Auditor-General advisable recovering and remitting ₦1.848 billion to the Treasury, and imposing sanctions beneath paragraphs 3106 and 3129 of the Financial Regulations (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.

₦500 million paid with out interim efficiency certificates

In Issue 12, the Auditor-General stated the ministry launched a further ₦500 million to the contractor on 29 December 2023 with out an Interim Performance Certificate or verified progress report.

The report stated the payment was made after the contractor obtained the 15 per cent mobilisation price.

Instead of an Interim Performance Certificate, the ministry relied on a dedication letter from the contractor promising to supply project automobiles and undertake abroad technical journeys upon receipt of the extra funds.

The audit stated the actions posed a danger of diverting public funds and shedding authorities funds. It stated that the ministry failed to reply to the query on the payment.

The Auditor-General advisable recovering and remitting N500 million to the Treasury and imposing sanctions beneath paragraph 3106 of the Financial Regulations (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.

Premature international journeys of ₦90 million

In Issue 8, the auditors questioned a ₦90 million provisional sum for international journeys to examine technical tools for the ICT Park.

According to the findings, the sum of ₦90 million was included and described as “Allow a provisional sum of N90 million to cater for Client’s and Consultants’ representatives for foreign trips for the inspection of technical equipment to be deployed for the project,” within the priced Bill of Quantities (BOQ) for the contract for the ICT Park project, with a contract sum of ₦8.984 billion.

The report stated the expenditure was being deliberate whereas the project was nonetheless at basis stage, earlier than structural works, tools procurement or set up had commenced.

It stated no proof was offered to justify the technical want, authorized schedule, or cost-benefit evaluation supporting the timing of the proposed journeys.

The audit stated the motion demonstrated weak expenditure prioritisation and poor sequencing of project actions, noting that it posed a danger of undue delay in completion of the project and diversion of public funds.

Again, the ministry didn’t reply to questions concerning the untimely international journey.

The Auditor-General advisable recovering and remitting the N90 million. It additionally advisable sanctions beneath paragraphs 3106 and 3115 of the Financial Regulations (2009) if the ministry fails to conform.

Denial of entry to project paperwork

The audit additionally raised considerations concerning the ministry’s failure to provide auditors entry to project paperwork.

In Issue 14, the report stated auditors have been denied entry to paperwork together with wants evaluation reviews, financial institution mandates for ICT project funds, payment vouchers, due diligence reviews on the contractor and the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment report.

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The report stated a number of requests for project-related paperwork made between March and June 2025 weren’t answered by the ministry.

It stated the denial of entry to procurement paperwork contravened the Constitution and risked concealing monetary data, diverting authorities income, and the lack of public funds.

The Auditor-General requested the Permanent Secretary to justify the denial of entry and produce all paperwork referring to the ICT Park project.

The report acknowledged that the ministry didn’t reply to the problems raised within the audit and that the findings remained legitimate till the suggestions have been carried out.

Other points

Other points included a ₦94.05 million value overrun attributed to the failure to conduct feasibility research and an Environmental Impact Assessment earlier than the ICT Park project started.

The Auditor-General additionally flagged ₦19.47 million in prices linked to delayed website handover, whereas questioning the absence of resident technical supervision regardless of a ₦160 million provision for it.

The report additional cited insufficient budgetary provisions that contributed to project delays and the ministry’s failure to conduct or doc a wants evaluation earlier than procurement.