Concerns over the management of foreign assistance entering Nigeria have pushed the Senate to begin moves aimed at creating a stronger oversight system for donor-funded projects.
The upper chamber has advanced a bill seeking to establish a National Donor Coordination Framework to improve transparency, accountability and coordination of grants, humanitarian support and foreign aid received by government agencies, NGOs and sub-national governments.
Sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, the framework will require registration of donor-funded projects, creation of a national database, integration of interventions into government budgets and public disclosure of funding and implementation details.
Leading debate, Dankwambo said Nigeria receives significant foreign assistance but lacks a coordinated system to monitor and manage such funds effectively.
He said many donor-funded projects operate outside the national budget framework, leading to duplication, poor coordination and weak accountability.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin raised concerns over limited information on funds channelled through NGOs and state governments.
“We can’t tell what money goes into the coffers of NGOs. Fraudsters set up bogus, pseudo NGOs and collect money from there”, he said.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sani Musa, said the framework would align Nigeria with international best practices and improve transparency in donor funding.
He also warned of security risks linked to unregulated donor activities, saying, “Most of the aids coming to so-called NGOs are not subjected to scrutiny. We have seen instances where such arrangements create security concerns because we do not know who is benefitting from them.”
Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Senate President Godswill Akpabio also supported the proposal, stressing the need for proper disclosure and monitoring of foreign funds entering the country.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on National Planning and Economic Development and Finance for further legislative work, with a report expected within four weeks.
