President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System and Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies following the discovery of “fake agencies”, ghost workers and other control failures in the system.
The President directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate the exercise.
NAIJAONPOINT reports that the audit will cover the Federal Government’s payroll, personnel, pension and financial management systems, as well as the administration and internal controls of government agencies.
The directive followed a resolution of the Federal Executive Council on August 19, 2026, in response to findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on the existence of fake government agencies, ghost workers and other weaknesses in government controls.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the exercise is designed to establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in the government’s control systems and determine how they have been exploited.
The audit will have two major components, with the first focusing on IPPIS and related government payroll and financial management platforms.
Onanuga also added that the exercise will also review access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls, as well as the links between IPPIS and other government platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, Remita, Treasury Single Account and Sub-Treasury Single Account.
The second component will cover all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.
Onanuga said, “The exercise will establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in Government’s control system, and determine how such weaknesses have been exploited. The exercise will comprise two interconnected components.
“The first will focus on a forensic audit of Government systems, particularly IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial-management platforms.
“It will examine reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud, reconcile the figures identified by the ICPC, trace how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled, and review access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls.
“The second component of the audit will cover all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies. It will establish a definitive inventory of such bodies and verify their legal basis.
“The exercise will assess governance, procurement, internal audit, and oversight controls across Government to close systemic weaknesses that could allow irregular entities or persons to access public resources,” the statement read in part.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
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