President Tinubu

Author: Gist Correspondent

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a comprehensive forensic audit of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and all Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and eliminate payroll fraud.

The President directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate the nationwide audit, which will also examine the administration and internal control systems of federal institutions.

The directive follows the Federal Executive Council's resolution of August 19, 2026, after findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) uncovered cases of fake agencies, ghost workers and other weaknesses in government control systems.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the exercise is aimed at determining the extent of the control failures and how they have been exploited over the years.

The audit will be carried out in two major phases. The first will focus on a forensic examination of IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial management platforms.

It will investigate reported cases of ghost workers, reconcile figures identified by the ICPC, trace how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled into government payroll systems, and review identity verification, biometric records, access controls and linked bank accounts.

The review will also assess the interfaces between IPPIS and other government platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA, to determine whether fraud resulted from system defects, process failures or deliberate circumvention of established procedures.

The second phase will cover all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other public institutions to establish a definitive inventory of government bodies and verify their legal status.

It will further examine how agencies obtain official recognition, budgetary allocations, office facilities, correspondence privileges and access to government systems, while evaluating governance, procurement, internal audit and oversight mechanisms.

President Tinubu directed that the exercise be conducted with the highest standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.

The audit team will have unrestricted access to relevant government systems and records and will work closely with the ICPC to ensure the exercise complements ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recovery efforts.

The President said the audit should go beyond exposing fraud by strengthening government institutions, closing systemic loopholes, improving data verification and ensuring that only legally established entities and eligible personnel have access to public resources.

The Presidency said the exercise underscores the administration's commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, sound fiscal governance and institutional integrity across the Federal Government.