SERAP Sues Tinubu Government Over ₦78.8bn Cash Transfer Funds

 

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Federal Government over alleged financial irregularities involving ₦78.8 billion allocated to cash-transfer programmes intended to support vulnerable Nigerians.

The organisation is asking the court to compel the government to investigate the allegations, account for the questioned expenditure, recover any money found to have been misused and take appropriate action against those responsible, subject to due process.

The legal action follows findings attributed to the Auditor-General of the Federation, who reportedly raised concerns about payments, supporting documentation and financial controls surrounding the programme.

According to SERAP, the initiative was designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households across 35 states and was intended to benefit more than 3.2 million households.

However, the audit findings have raised questions about whether the expenditure was properly documented and whether the available records are sufficient to verify that the funds reached their intended beneficiaries.

 

Auditor-General Questions ₦33.75bn in Household Payments

 

One of the major concerns cited in the report is ₦33.751 billion reportedly transferred to households in 2023.

 

The Auditor-General questioned the expenditure over inadequate records needed to verify the payments and reconcile beneficiary information.

 

Such documentation is important in cash-transfer programmes because it helps establish who received assistance, how much was paid, when payments were made and whether the money reached eligible beneficiaries.

 

Without sufficient records, auditors may be unable to confirm that public funds were spent as authorised. However, the reported documentation gaps do not, on their own, establish that the entire amount was stolen or that beneficiaries did not receive any payments.

 

SERAP wants the government to investigate the findings and make the relevant records available for public scrutiny.

 

Other Expenditures Flagged in Audit Findings

 

Beyond the household transfers, the audit findings reportedly identified several other expenditures requiring explanations.

 

The amounts listed in the supplied report include:

 

– ₦36.744 billion: Payments allegedly made without prepayment audits.

– ₦4.616 billion: Expenditures reportedly not supported by adequate documentation.

– ₦350.182 million: Spending on enrolment.

– ₦89.511 million: Store purchases.

– ₦17.422 million: Diesel advances.

 

These entries raise questions about the financial controls used in administering the programme and whether the expenditure was properly authorised, documented and audited.

 

Prepayment audits and supporting records are among the mechanisms used to check whether payments comply with applicable financial procedures. Where such controls are missing, an investigation can help determine whether the expenditure was legitimate, improperly processed or involved losses to the public purse.

 

The government has been asked to account for the questioned amounts and explain the circumstances surrounding the reported irregularities.

 

The figures and descriptions above are drawn from the supplied account of the audit findings. Their precise scope and relationship to the headline figure of ₦78.8 billion should be confirmed against the original Auditor-General’s report.

 

SERAP Says Government Failed to Act

 

SERAP’s lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, argued that the government had failed to adequately investigate the allegations, account for the questioned funds and recover money found to have been unlawfully spent.

 

The organisation said it had previously called on President Bola Tinubu and the relevant authorities to investigate the audit findings, publish relevant records and ensure that anyone found responsible was held accountable.

 

According to the supplied report, SERAP issued a public statement and sent a letter dated September 5, 2026, requesting action following the publication of the Auditor-General’s report.

 

The organisation also sought payment records, beneficiary information, verification documents and explanations concerning missing REMITA records.

 

SERAP said the deadline it gave the government to respond had expired without adequate action, prompting it to seek judicial intervention.

 

The account provided does not include a detailed response from the Federal Government to SERAP’s allegations.

 

What SERAP Wants the Court to Order

 

The suit seeks an order directing the government to conduct an independent, prompt and effective investigation into the reported irregularities.

 

SERAP is also asking the court to compel the authorities to recover any funds found to have been improperly spent, diverted or lost and to pursue appropriate legal or administrative action against those responsible.

 

The organisation wants stronger financial accountability measures, including improved beneficiary verification, auditing and oversight mechanisms to reduce the risk of similar problems in future social-protection programmes.

 

It is further seeking an order restraining the government from administering or disbursing cash-transfer and social-protection funds without adequate accountability safeguards.

 

SERAP also wants appropriate remedies for any harm to beneficiaries’ protected rights established during the proceedings.

 

The suit was reportedly filed under Article 9(4) of the ECOWAS Court Protocol, alongside provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

 

The court will determine the issues presented before it in accordance with the applicable law and evidence.

 

Why the Case Matters to Vulnerable Nigerians

 

Cash-transfer programmes are designed to provide financial support to households facing poverty and economic hardship. For eligible families, such payments can help meet basic needs, including food and other essential expenses.

The effectiveness of these initiatives depends not only on the amount allocated but also on transparent beneficiary selection, reliable payment systems and mechanisms for detecting errors or abuse.

If the reported irregularities are established, they could point to weaknesses in the management and oversight of public funds intended for vulnerable citizens. If the documentation gaps can be satisfactorily explained, the investigation would also help clarify the status of the questioned expenditure.

SERAP maintains that social-protection funding can play an important role in tackling extreme poverty but argues that public confidence depends on transparent financial management and accountability.

No Hearing Date Announced

No hearing date had been fixed for the suit, according to the supplied report.

The case now places the management of the cash-transfer programme and the government’s response to the audit findings before the court.

The central issues are whether the questioned expenditures were properly handled, whether the available records can account for the money and whether any funds were lost or misused.

Until an investigation or judicial process establishes the facts, the reported irregularities remain allegations requiring examination rather than proof that the entire ₦78.8 billion was stolen.