The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has decried the absence of budget records for Nigeria’s local governments.
Oyedele spoke at the Revenue Assurance Summit, organised by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit for heads of State Internal Revenue Services on Tuesday.
He disclosed that a thorough online search yielded no available budget documents for any of the country’s 774 local governments.
Oyedele added that finding audited financial reports for these LGAs would be even more ambitious.
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The chairman hinted that local governments are failing in their responsibilities, contributing to 75% of the factors behind Nigeria’s high rate of multidimensional poverty.
He pointed out that LGAs are supposed to manage crucial areas like agriculture, road maintenance, and public welfare, including providing accommodation for the destitute.
“My committee began working as soon as local governments were granted autonomy. But the real issue isn’t just about sending money to the LGAs—it’s about ensuring the funds are used properly.
“Local governments have a long list of duties outlined in the constitution—maintaining roads, parks, streetlights, public conveniences, and sewage systems, and collaborating with states on education and health services.
“Yet, we couldn’t even find a single local government budget online. If you find one, please share it with me,” Oyedele said.
Oyedele called for local governments to develop three- to five-year development plans to guide their work and set clear priorities.
He cited South Africa’s Municipalmoney.com as an example, where local governments’ budgets, development plans, and financial reports are publicly available.
Oyedele also stressed the importance of data sharing to boost revenue generation.