Transparency (Open Budget Index) 24/100
The Government of Nigeria provides the public with minimal budget information.
Public Participation 25/100
The Government of Nigeria is weak in providing the public with opportunities to engage in the budget process.
Budget Oversight
By legislature 67/100
Budget oversight by the legislature in Nigeria is adequate.
By auditor 50/100
Budget oversight by the supreme audit institution in Nigeria is limited.
Recommendations
Improving Transparency
Nigeria should prioritize the following actions to improve budget transparency:
- Publish a Mid-Year Review and Audit Report.
- Publish in a timely manner the Pre-Budget Statement and In-Year Reports.
- Increase the comprehensiveness of the Executive’s Budget Proposal by presenting more details on classification of expenditures for future, prior, and budget years and on classification of revenues for future and budget years.
Improving Participation
Nigeria should prioritize the following actions to improve budget participation:
- Establish credible and effective mechanisms (i.e., public hearings, surveys, focus groups) for capturing a range of public perspectives during budget planning, and introduce public engagement mechanisms to support monitoring of budget implementation.
- Hold legislative hearings to review and scrutinize Audit Reports.
- Establish formal mechanisms for the public to assist the supreme audit institution to formulate its audit program and participate in audit investigations.
Improving Oversight
Nigeria should prioritize the following actions to strengthen budget oversight:
- Ensure the Executive’s Budget Proposal is provided to legislators at least three months before the start of the budget year.
- In both law and practice, ensure the legislature is consulted prior to the spending of contingency funds that were not identified in the Enacted Budget.
- Ensure the supreme audit institution has adequate funding to perform its duties, as determined by an independent body (e.g., the legislature or judiciary).