SERAP Sues FG Over Unaccounted N78.8bn Meant for Poverty Alleviation

SERAP says there are irregularities in how the money was spent.

 SERAP wants the court to prevent the government from spending such money in the future without an accountability system that would weed out irregularities.

The Socio-Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the President Bola Tinubu government over “the alleged diversion, irregular expenditure and failure to account for over N78.8 billion in public funds involving the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO).” 

SERAP spotted the anomaly in the annual audit report of the Auditor-General of the Federation for the year 2023 to 2024, published on August 7, 2026.

In the suit filed at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice, Abuja, SERAP filed:

SERAP “The failure to investigate the ₦78.8 billion cash-transfer scandal, account for the questioned funds and recover any unlawfully spent amounts violates Nigeria’s obligations to protect the human rights of vulnerable households,” the report read.

“The Auditor-General questioned approximately ₦33.751 billion reportedly transferred to over 3.2 million households across 35 states in 2023, as adequate records to verify the payments and reconcile beneficiary records were not provided.

The report also identified ₦36.744 billion in payments made without prepayment audits, ₦4.616 billion in unsupported expenditures, and other questioned payments, including ₦350.182 million for enrolment, ₦89.511 million for store purchases and ₦17.422 million in diesel advances.

The issue is whether the government has discharged its obligations under applicable human-rights treaties to safeguard resources allocated for social protection, investigate documented financial irregularities, provide effective remedies and ensure that those resources are applied for their intended purposes.”

BREAKING: We’ve filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government over the alleged diversion, irregular expenditure and failure to account for over ₦78.8 billion in public funds involving the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) and the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO). The allegations are documented in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report, published on 7 August 2026. According to the Auditor-General, the findings cover various periods between January 2023 and 31 December 2024. In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/42/26 filed last week at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Abuja, we’re seeking a declaration that the failure of the Nigerian government to account for over ₦78.8 billion in public funds allocated for federal cash-transfer and social-protection programmes is unlawful and a violation of Nigeria’s international human rights obligations. SERAP is seeking a declaration that the government’s failure to ensure the lawful administration of public funds allocated for cash-transfer programmes intended to benefit vulnerable households undermines the enjoyment of the rights protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. SERAP is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the government from administering or disbursing cash-transfer and social-protection funds without adequate financial accountability, beneficiary verification, auditing and oversight mechanisms consistent with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations. The government has violated, and continues to violate, the rights to social security and an adequate standard of living, including food, clothing and housing, by failing to properly administer social-protection funds and ensure access to benefits intended to meet basic needs. The failure to account for substantial public funds allocated for social protection, and to investigate and remedy deficiencies, undermines the socio-economic rights of millions of affected Nigerians. The funds were intended to benefit over 3.2 million households across 35 states, whose access to financial assistance has been affected by the allegations made by the Auditor-General. The failure to investigate the ₦78.8 billion cash-transfer scandal, account for the questioned funds and recover any unlawfully spent amounts violates Nigeria’s obligations to protect the human rights of vulnerable households. Read more: https://t.co/4WfrJNeU6a

On these grounds, SERAP requests an order of perpetual injunction that restrains the government from administering or disbursing cash transfers and social-protection monies without setting up an adequate financial accountability system, beneficiary verification, auditing and oversight framework that is consistent with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.

After the Auditor-General’s Report, SERAP issued a public letter to the president on September 5 to account for the funds, publish the audit records, investigate irregular spending, recover funds that were spent unlawfully or diverted and take action against the relevant authorities responsible.

They also requested the records of those who got this money, verification documents, and explanations for missing REMITA records.  

SERAP is asking the court to declare that failing to investigate financial irregularities in the Auditor-General’s 2024 report breaches human rights obligations. It also wants the government to account for questioned funds, investigate and recover losses, strengthen oversight mechanisms, and ensure vulnerable beneficiaries receive their intended social-protection benefits.