Nigeria needs a shift from paper-based oversight to science-based governance, argues ILIYASU GASHINBAKI
In Nigeria’s governance landscape, promises often echo louder than tangible outcomes. Budgets are passed with great anticipation, policies announced with confident flair, and projects launched with ribbon-cutting fanfare. Yet, more often than not, the outcomes fail to match the optimism. What has long been missing in the machinery of government is not good intentions but verifiable accountability. A system where every Naira spent is linked to measurable progress. A system where public confidence is earned through evidence, not just oratory.
This credibility gap is not accidental, and it is far from new. In 2023, the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF) reported that over ₦300 billion remained unaccounted for across federal government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). In the same year, Transparency International ranked Nigeria 140th out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perception Index, despite the existence of fiscal laws and oversight mechanisms. By 2024, the national budget had crossed ₦27 trillion, but many states still struggle to complete even 30% of their capital projects on time or within budget.