Tinubu Orders Forensic Audit of IPPIS, Ministries, Agencies Over Ghost Workers, ‘Fake Agencies’

By Usman David, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the Federal Government’s personnel, payroll and administrative systems following revelations of ghost workers, payroll fraud and the existence of purported “fake agencies” within the public service.

The President directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate the exercise,

which will cover the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Federal Government agencies and their administration and internal control mechanisms.

The directive followed a resolution of the Federal Executive Council on August 19, 2026, arising from findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) concerning ghost workers, fictitious entities and other weaknesses in government control systems.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the exercise will determine the nature and extent of the identified weaknesses and establish how they have been exploited to gain access to public resources

The first component will focus on a forensic review of IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial-management platforms. 

It will investigate reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud, reconcile figures identified by the ICPC and trace how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled into government systems.

The audit will also scrutinise access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls, as well as the interfaces between IPPIS and other government platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Remita, Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA.

The second component will cover all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies, with the aim of establishing a definitive inventory and verifying their legal basis, official recognition, budgetary status and access to government facilities and systems.

The exercise will further assess governance, procurement, internal audit and oversight mechanisms across government, with a view to identifying and closing loopholes that may enable irregular entities or individuals to access public funds and other government resources.

President Tinubu directed that the audit be conducted with the highest standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity. 

The audit team will have access to relevant government records and systems and will work with the ICPC to ensure that its findings complement ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recovery efforts.

The President said the exercise must go beyond identifying individual cases of fraud or administrative failure, stressing that its ultimate objective is to strengthen government architecture.

He added that the process will improve data verification and reconciliation, reinforce accountability and ensure that only duly constituted entities and eligible personnel have access to public resources.

 The initiative, according to the statement, underscores the administration’s commitment to transparency, fiscal governance and institutional integrity.