The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee has recommended that 22 federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) be excluded from the 2026 budget for failing to properly account for public funds and ignoring legislative oversight.
Speaking during Thursday’s investigative hearing, Committee member, Hon. Bamidele Salam said the move follows repeated noncompliance by the agencies with audit queries in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s Annual Reports for 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Agencies on the list include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB). Others are the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Federal Ministries of Housing and Urban Development, and Women Affairs and Social Development, Federal University of Gashua, multiple Federal Polytechnics, Federal Medical Centres, several Federal Government Colleges, the Federal College of Land Resources Technology, and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria.
The Committee said these institutions consistently failed to submit critical financial documents, ignored audit recommendations, and refused to appear before Parliament to answer questions. Many have also neglected to submit audited financial statements for periods ranging from three to over five years, in violation of statutory requirements.
“Public funds are held in trust for Nigerians. Agencies that fail to account for prior allocations or refuse to engage with legislative oversight cannot, in good conscience, expect new budgetary allocations”, Salam said, warning that the decision is aimed at restoring fiscal discipline and transparency.
The Committee emphasized that the action is corrective, not punitive, and aligns with the Financial Regulations 2009 and the National Assembly’s constitutional oversight powers.
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