RismadarVoice Reporters
September 10, 2026
The National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) has dismissed allegations linked to the Auditor-General for the Federation’s report questioning the evidence supporting the disbursement of N33.75bn in electronic cash transfers to beneficiaries across Nigeria.
The office said the interpretation of the audit observations was incomplete, insisting that the funds were transferred through the approved payment system to beneficiaries captured in the National Beneficiary Register.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the NCTO said it had documentary evidence, including email correspondence, showing that beneficiary records and payment information were made available to auditors for verification.
The Auditor-General’s report had raised concerns over N33.751bn allegedly transferred electronically to 3,295,207 households and beneficiaries in 35 states during the 2023 financial year, stating that payment vouchers lacked complete beneficiary details and that reconciliation records from REMITA were not provided.
Responding to the report, the NCTO said the audit observation should not be interpreted as evidence that funds were stolen, diverted, or lost.
The office explained that audit queries were subject to management responses, document reviews, and reconciliation before any conclusion could be reached on financial misconduct.
The NCTO maintained that beneficiaries were paid through a structured electronic system supported by identification, validation, and authorisation processes.
It added that beneficiary records were stored digitally and did not need to be physically attached to every payment voucher where electronic audit trails existed.
According to the office, the 2023 National Beneficiary Register was sent to the audit team through email on April 18, 2025, while additional records for 2024 and 2025 were transmitted on April 21, 2026.
The NCTO also rejected claims that its officials blocked access to REMITA payment records, saying correspondence from its project accountant showed that relevant payment reports were shared with auditors.
On the Auditor-General’s query concerning 101 payments valued at N4.62bn, the office said it maintained supporting vouchers and requested transaction details from auditors to enable proper reconciliation.
The NCTO further disputed claims that N350.18m released to states for beneficiary enrolment remained unaccounted for, saying it was providing additional supporting documents for verification.
It also challenged findings relating to N36.74bn in payments made without prepayment audits, explaining that the internal audit arrangement for the World Bank-supported programme did not require conventional prepayment checks.
Regarding N280.421m advanced to payment service providers, the office said the funds were recovered and supported by relevant REMITA and reference documents.
The agency also stated that N393.71m returned by state cash transfer units had been refunded due to operational challenges, including insecurity and other constraints.
The NCTO urged the public and media to differentiate between audit observations requiring clarification and confirmed cases of fraud, diversion, or misappropriation of public funds.
It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and cooperation with oversight institutions while maintaining that the questioned transactions could be independently verified through available records.
