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FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS, BUDGET OFFICE UNDER TINUBU FAILS TO PUBLISH QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORT
The Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has shrouded its 2025 fiscal activities in opacity, particularly regarding federal expenditures.
A review by SaharaReporters reveals that the usual channels through which the government reports on revenue spending have mainly become inaccessible.
For example, the Budget Office’s budget performance documents portal has not been updated since the second quarter of 2024. This effectively means that for over a year, the Tinubu administration has failed to publish a budget performance report on the Budget Office of the Federation’s website.
Historically, such documents have been regularly published since 2009, with only rare lapses—2020 (fourth quarter) and 2010 (second quarter). Aside from these exceptions, quarterly reports have consistently been made available.
Similarly, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which typically issues monthly economic reports detailing government expenditures, last published such a report in February 2025. Reports from March 2025 to date remain unavailable.
Further, the Open Treasury Portal, which tracks daily, quarterly, and annual government spending, shows that 2025 expenditures by federal ministries, departments, and agencies are currently inaccessible.
Budget performance documents are critical for ensuring fiscal accountability and transparency. The Tinubu administration’s failure to release them violates the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.
Section 30 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act states: “The Minister of Finance, through the Budget Office of the Federation, shall monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Annual Budget, assess the attainment of the fiscal targets and report thereon on a quarterly basis to the Fiscal Responsibility Council and the Joint Finance Committee of the National Assembly.
“The Minister of Finance shall, cause the report prepared pursuant to subsection (1) of this section to be published in the mass and electronic media and on Ministry of Finance website, not later than 30 days after the end of each quarter.
“In implementing their annual budgets, States and Local Governments may adopt the provisions of this part with such modifications as may be appropriate and necessary.”
This development has heightened concerns over transparency and accountability in the management of public funds by the Nigerian government, especially at a time when calls for open and transparent governance are growing louder across the country.
