EMMANUEL PETER ADAYEHI
We commend the United States Department of State for its annual Fiscal Transparency Report, a key tool for measuring how governments manage public money. The 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report on Nigeria provides timely data that every Nigerian citizen, civil society group, and lawmaker should review.
Key Findings on Nigeria in the 2026 Report
Based on the State Department’s assessment criteria for budget availability, reliability, procurement, and audit:
– Budget Gaps: The executive budget proposal was not published within a reasonable timeframe before legislative approval.
– Implementation Discrepancies: Actual revenues and expenditures varied significantly from enacted budget figures, undermining reliability.
– Procurement Opacity: Public procurement contract information remained largely inaccessible to citizens and oversight actors.
– Audit Shortcomings: Nigeria’s supreme audit institution did not meet international standards for independence and failed to publish substantive audit reports.
– Areas Recognized: The report acknowledged that data on government debt obligations and sovereign wealth fund withdrawals were publicly disclosed.
These gaps are consistent with issues flagged in previous years, including delays in budget publication and unreliable fiscal data.
Our Position: The Need for Proven Fiscal Leadership
Given these transparency deficits, Nigeria requires leadership with a demonstrated record of fiscal discipline, open budgeting, and accountability.
We Therefore, express full support for Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for national leadership based on:
1. Experience in Governance: Both served two terms as governors. During their tenures, Anambra and Kano published annual budget performance reports and participated in federal transparency programs such as the World Bank-supported SFTAS aimed at improving public financial management.
2. Past Antecedents and Records: Their administrations were noted for prioritizing education and health spending, reducing overhead costs, and engaging citizens in project monitoring. Obi’s Anambra and Kwankwaso’s Kano are regularly cited in public policy discussions by CSOs like BudgIT for infrastructure delivery and efforts toward fiscal prudence.
3. Commitment to Reform: An Obi/Kwankwaso administration would directly address the gaps in the US report by: publishing the executive budget proposal on time, producing supplemental budgets when actuals diverge from plans, maintaining functional and updated procurement portals, and strengthening the legal independence of the Office of the Auditor General.
Context on Current Administration
The findings of mismatched budget figures, limited procurement access, and weak audit independence reflect systemic challenges in fiscal management under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Nigerian government has stated that all expenditures operate under constitutional appropriations approved by the National Assembly. However, the US report indicates that process gaps remain in disclosure and public access.
References
1. U.S. Department of State. _Fiscal Transparency Report. Assessment criteria and country evaluations. https://www.state.gov/fiscal-transparency-report
2. U.S. Department of State. 2020 Fiscal Transparency Report: Nigeria. On budget reliability and audit publication.
3. BudgIT. State of States and Subnational Fiscal Transparency Reports, 2022-2024. On procurement portals and budget performance.
Call to Action
We urge citizens, civil society organizations, and the National Assembly to use the 2026 US Fiscal Transparency Report as evidence to demand reforms in budget timing, procurement openness, and audit independence. To restore trust in public finances, Nigerians should consider leadership with a verifiable track record of transparency — specifically Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Note for publication: The U.S. Department of State releases the Fiscal Transparency Report annually. This summary is based on the 2026 assessment cycle and methodology consistent with prior reports.