EXCLUSIVE: Women Affairs Ministry Under Fire Over ₦71.2m Paid Into Private Accounts for 2027 Electoral Conference

TrackNews Online

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has come under scrutiny following revelations that ₦71.219 million in public funds was paid into the personal bank accounts of two individuals for activities linked to a proposed 2027 electoral conference on women’s political participation.

The payments, reportedly made in seven separate transactions on March 8, have raised questions about compliance with Nigeria’s financial regulations, particularly provisions prohibiting the payment of public funds into private bank accounts.

Details published on BudgIT’s Govspend Portal indicate that the payments were made to Shaba Abayomi Olawole, who received four tranches, and Dibor Ugochukwu C., who received three.

The transactions were described as advance payments for the mobilisation of ministry staff and other conference-related expenses in Lagos, Ilorin in Kwara State, Kano and Bauchi.

BudgIT’s Govspend Portal provides public access to government expenditure information and mirrors data from Nigeria’s Open Treasury Portal.

₦71.2m Disbursed in Seven Transactions

According to the expenditure records, Olawole received two separate payments of ₦12.719 million each, reportedly covering accommodation for two resource persons, venue arrangements, transportation and related expenses for activities in Lagos and Ilorin.

The descriptions attached to the transactions stated that the payments were intended to support the mainstreaming of gender equality and social inclusion ahead of the 2027 electoral conference on women’s participation, advocacy and campaigning.

Ugochukwu reportedly received corresponding payments of ₦12.719 million each for activities in Bauchi and Kano.

The records also listed additional payments of ₦6.781 million each to Olawole for activities in Lagos and Ilorin, as well as a similar payment to Ugochukwu for Kano.

These transactions were described as covering daily travel allowances, air tickets and local running expenses to enable ministry staff to participate in the proposed conference activities.

The seven payments totalled ₦71,219,000, according to the published expenditure records.

The disclosures have prompted questions about why the funds were transferred to individual accounts rather than being processed through the appropriate government payment channels.

Financial Regulations Prohibit Payments Into Private Accounts

Nigeria’s Financial Regulations 2009 contain explicit provisions governing the handling of public funds.

Chapter 7, Section 713, states: “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.”

The provision further states that an officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have acted with fraudulent intention.

The regulation is designed to safeguard public funds, strengthen accountability and prevent the misuse of government resources.

However, whether the transactions in question breached the regulations would depend on the full circumstances of the payments, the status of the recipients and the applicable authorisations.

Limited Exceptions Under Financial Regulations

James Abalaka, Deputy Director of Fiscal Accounts in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, has previously explained that exceptions exist under the financial regulations.

According to his explanation, Chapter 10, Section 1001, provides for imprests, which cover sums advanced to public officers to meet expenditure under approved estimates when supporting vouchers cannot immediately be presented to a sub-accounting officer for payment.

The regulations state that imprests are issued by the Accountant-General of the Federation and accounting officers of self-accounting ministries, extra-ministerial offices and other arms of government.

Such arrangements are intended to facilitate authorised government expenditure while maintaining the required financial controls and accountability mechanisms.

However, the available information indicates that the ₦71.219 million in question was not paid through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

This has raised further questions about the legal and administrative basis for the transfers, including whether the transactions qualified for any recognised exception under the regulations.

Questions Over Accountability and Public Funds

The reported payments have placed the ministry’s financial procedures under scrutiny, particularly regarding the use of personal bank accounts for expenditure connected to government programmes.

Key questions include the identities and official capacities of the recipients, the approvals authorising the transfers, the procurement and payment documentation supporting the transactions, and the procedures for accounting for the funds after disbursement.

It is also important to establish whether the stated conference activities were conducted as planned and whether the recipients submitted the necessary retirement documents, receipts and other supporting evidence.

These details would help determine whether the payments complied with the applicable financial regulations and whether the expenditure was properly accounted for.

Ministry’s Response Awaited

The expenditure records raise legitimate questions about transparency and compliance with public financial management rules. However, the transactions alone do not establish that the recipients or any ministry official committed fraud.

A response from the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs explaining the rationale for the transfers, the authorisations obtained and the accounting procedures followed would be important in clarifying the matter.

Until such explanations and supporting documents are available, the circumstances surrounding the ₦71.219 million disbursement remain a matter requiring further scrutiny.

TrackNews Online will continue to follow developments surrounding the payments and any official response from the ministry or relevant financial oversight authorities.