Tinubu Orders Forensic Audit of IPPIS, Federal Agencies

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of government systems, including the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, and federal agencies.

The president directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee the exercise.

The directive followed a Federal Executive Council resolution on 19th August 2026, after findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, on “fake agencies,” ghost workers and other control failures.

The audit will examine the “nature and extent of weaknesses” in government’s control system and determine how they were exploited.

The first part will focus on IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial systems.

It will examine reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud and “trace how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled.”

The review will also examine access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls.

It will study the links between IPPIS and other systems, including GIFMIS, Remita, the Treasury Single Account and Sub-TSA.

The second part will cover all federal agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.

According to the statement, released by Bayo Onanuga , the Special Adviser to the President in Information and Strategy, the exercise will establish a “definitive inventory” of government bodies and verify their legal basis.

It will also examine governance, procurement, internal audit and oversight systems to prevent irregular entities or people from gaining access to public funds.

Tinubu directed that the exercise be carried out with the “highest standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.”

The audit team will work with the ICPC and have access to relevant government records and systems.

The president said the exercise should go beyond finding individual cases of fraud and help “strengthen the architecture of Government” and close systemic loopholes.