The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), and 17 other MDAs are at risk of having their 2026 budget withdrawn over accountability breaches
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended the withdrawal of budgetary allocations to 22 federal agencies over what it described as persistent failure to account for public funds and refusal to comply with legislative oversight.
The recommendation was made on Thursday during a public hearing of the committee, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam.
Salam said the decision followed repeated invitations and directives issued to the affected agencies to respond to audit queries raised in the annual reports of the Auditor-General for the Federation for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 fiscal years, which were largely ignored.
Agencies listed for budget exclusion include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
Others are the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Federal University of Gashua, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Federal Medical Centre Owerri, Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Federal Medical Centre Bida, Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kebbi, Federal Medical Centre Katsina, Federal Government College Kwali, Federal Government Boys’ College Garki, Federal Government College Rubochi, Federal College of Land Resources Technology Owerri, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria and the FCT Secondary Education Board.
The committee said the agencies failed to submit critical financial documents and repeatedly declined to appear before it to address audit observations bordering on non-compliance with Financial Regulations, violations of due process and serious lapses in internal control systems.
The PAC also noted that several of the institutions had not submitted audited financial statements for periods ranging from three to five years or more, in violation of statutory requirements.
Speaking at the hearing, Rep. Salam said the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate funds to institutions that undermine accountability.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
Salam added that the recommendation was corrective rather than punitive, stressing that it was aimed at restoring fiscal discipline and strengthening transparency across federal institutions.
The committee maintained that the proposed suspension of allocations aligns with the provisions of the Financial Regulations 2009 and the constitutional oversight powers of the National Assembly.
