Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secrets Reporters
An investigation has revealed that BudgIT, a civic-tech platform renowned for fostering budget reforms and citizen engagement, may have tampered with its integrity by deleting financial data linked to Nigeria’s Blue Economy Ministry and Ministry of Aviation from its public platform, casting doubts on BudgIT Foundation, co-founded by Oluseun Onigbinde and Joseph Agunbiade, with a mission of promoting transparency and accountability.
The catalyst for this ugly development was a damning exposé by Sahara Reporters revealing that the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, under the leadership of Gboyega Oyetola, engaged in dubious financial transactions amounting to over ₦600 million between July and October 2024. These funds were reportedly channeled into private accounts for questionable expenditures, including estacodes, air tickets, hall rentals, refreshments, and honorariums. Hours after the report gained public traction, the financial records in question mysteriously vanished from BudgIT’s website, a move that has fueled suspicions of external influence and deliberate censorship.
The revelations paint a troubling picture of financial impropriety. Key figures in the Ministry, including Secretary-General Michael Oloruntola and Director of Marine Safety and Security Hafeez Babatunde Bombata, were identified as recipients of exorbitant payments under the guise of travel allowances and estacodes.
Oloruntola alone received ₦76 million in personal payments over four months, including ₦7.3 million as a 40% estacode supplement for a “study tour” to Morocco. Similarly, Sanya Sholabami Abosede, another ministry official, pocketed ₦76.4 million for related expenses, while Abba Goni Yarema amassed ₦186.5 million for “out-of-pocket expenses” and other dubious claims.
By October 23, 2024, an eye-watering ₦662 million had been traced to personal accounts, ostensibly for items such as air tickets, refreshments, hall rentals, and honorariums. These practices blatantly contravene Nigeria’s Financial Regulations (Chapter 7, Section 713), which strictly prohibit the payment of public funds into private accounts.
BudgIT, once a beacon of fiscal transparency, now finds itself accused of shielding questionable government dealings. The deletion of sensitive financial data related to the Blue Economy Ministry and Ministry of Aviation shortly after public scrutiny has raised red flags. Critics argue that BudgIT’s actions may have been influenced by political pressure, undermining the organization’s credibility and core mission.
Founded to “stimulate a community of active citizens” and enable accountability, BudgIT’s integrity is now under intense scrutiny. Observers question whether the organization has strayed from its founding principles, succumbing to the very institutional opacity it vowed to challenge.
The exposed expenditures come against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s pledge to reduce governance costs. Yet, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy’s lavish spending on estacodes, foreign trips, and non-essential allowances tells a different story.
For example, estacode allowances for international travel—such as $900 per night for ministers—have become a drain on public resources. The ministry’s officials enjoyed such perks on trips to Morocco, Ghana, Togo, and London, ostensibly for capacity-building and international meetings.
Even more glaring are the payments for hall rentals, refreshments, and honorariums. On August 13, 2024, ₦8.4 million was paid to one Nwoko Vincent for such expenses. Similarly, Bombata received ₦43 million for air tickets and allowances for maritime meetings. These expenditures raise questions about their necessity and alignment with the ministry’s mandate.
The BudgIT Foundation now faces an existential challenge. While the organization has yet to address the allegations of data manipulation, public trust in its independence and transparency has been severely eroded. Civil society organizations and concerned citizens are calling for an independent investigation into both the ministry’s financial activities and BudgIT’s role in concealing them.
The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, led by Gboyega Oyetola, also faces mounting pressure to account for its spending. The public deserves clarity on how funds meant for national development were funneled into private accounts in blatant violation of financial regulations.
As the dust settles, this saga underscores the critical need for stronger accountability mechanisms in Nigeria’s public institutions. If BudgIT, an organization designed to promote transparency, can be compromised, what hope remains for genuine fiscal accountability?
The ball is now in the court of anti-corruption agencies, the media, and active citizens to demand answers, restore trust, and ensure that public funds serve their intended purpose: the welfare of all Nigerians.
Efforts to reach the management of BudgIT were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report as calls put through their phone numbers showed they are unreachable.
