The Auditor-General’s Office has uncovered financial irregularities totalling at least N3.62 billion at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria in Abuja. This includes N2.77 billion in unremitted tender fees, questionable contract payments, and unverified purchases of supplies.
These findings are detailed in the Auditor-General’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-compliance, covering the period from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. The report revealed other issues such as missing financial records, underpayment of taxes, unverified consultancy payments, and expenditures improperly charged to constituency project accounts.
The largest discrepancy involves N2.77 billion from the sale of bid documents and tender fees, which were not transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund as required by law. The report stated, “The sum of N2,771,731,464.25 was not remitted to the CRF, and no supporting documentation was provided for the audit of these transactions.”
The auditors found a lack of proof for various store item procurements costing N547.21 million across 11 transactions, raising concerns over payments made without evidence of delivery.
The report also questioned N196.59 million used for three constituency projects involving transformers and solar streetlights across Ogun, Lagos, and Osun states. The institute failed to provide proof of contractor eligibility and that monitoring was conducted as required.
Additionally, N29.65 million charged to the constituency project account for allowances lacked proper approval documentation. The auditors pointed out that only N6.14 million of the expected N10.26 million in Value Added Tax had been remitted, highlighting further financial management issues.
The report identified other discrepancies, including N24.4 million in unapproved administrative charges, N10.68 million linked to certification without evidence, and N22.45 million earmarked for a training programme that lacked proof of execution.
The institute was found lacking in essential documents, which hampered the audit’s effectiveness. The management did not respond to the auditor’s findings, leaving many issues unresolved. The Auditor-General has recommended that the Director-General explain the absence of records to the National Assembly and submit the necessary documents for verification, emphasising weaknesses in internal controls that pose risks of revenue loss and inadequate financial documentation.
