Tinubu Orders Forensic Audit Of Federal Government Systems

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of Federal Government systems, including the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), government agencies and their internal controls.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga announced the directive in a statement on Friday, saying Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Taiwo Oyedele would oversee and coordinate the exercise.

The audit follows a Federal Executive Council resolution of 19 August 2026, which was taken after findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) concerning alleged ghost workers, “fake agencies” and weaknesses in government controls.

According to Onanuga, the exercise will determine the nature and extent of weaknesses in government systems and establish how those weaknesses may have been exploited.

Audit To Examine Payroll And Government Systems

The first component will focus on IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial-management platforms.

The review will examine reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud, reconcile figures identified by the ICPC and trace how fictitious or ineligible individuals were enrolled.

It will also assess access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls associated with government payroll systems.

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The audit will examine the links between IPPIS and other government platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA.

The government said this part of the exercise will seek to establish whether weaknesses resulted from system defects, failures in administrative processes, inadequate separation of duties or deliberate circumvention of controls.

Review To Cover Federal Government Agencies

The second component will cover Federal Government ministries, departments, agencies, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.

The review will seek to establish a definitive inventory of such entities and verify their legal basis.

It will also examine how organisations obtain official recognition, access budgetary consideration, correspondence privileges and office facilities, as well as access to government systems.

The audit will further assess governance, procurement, internal-audit and oversight arrangements across government.

The aim, according to the statement, is to identify and close systemic weaknesses that could allow irregular entities or individuals to gain access to public resources.

Tinubu Calls For Independent Review

Tinubu directed that the audit be conducted according to high standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.

“The audit team will have access to relevant government systems and records. It will collaborate with the ICPC to ensure that the review complements all ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recoveries,” the statement said.

The President said the exercise should extend beyond identifying individual cases of fraud or administrative failure.

He wants the review to strengthen government systems, close loopholes, improve data verification and reconciliation, reinforce accountability and ensure that only legally constituted entities and eligible personnel have access to government resources.

Onanuga said the directive reflects Tinubu’s stated commitment to transparency, accountability, fiscal governance and institutional integrity across the Federal Government.