Auditor-General reveals how Nigeria’s Population Commission mismanaged N245 billion on undelivered products, other controversial contracts

The National Population Commission has been accused of awarding and paying for census-related contracts worth more than N245 billion without adequate evidence of delivery, while allegedly inflating prices and breaching procurement rules.

According to Premium Times, the findings are contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s 2024 Annual Report on Non-Compliance, which examined the NPC’s 2023 financial activities.

The Auditor-General blamed weaknesses in the commission’s internal controls and recommended that its Director-General account to the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees and recover several disputed payments for remittance to the Treasury.

Issue 1: N131.5 billion paid for PDAs without evidence of delivery

Auditors said the NPC paid N131.56 billion for 800,000 Personal Digital Assistants and accessories for the planned 2023 census.

Although the commission claimed 760,000 devices were received, auditors said there were no store receipt vouchers, delivery notes, waybills or inspection reports proving delivery. Officials also allegedly denied auditors access to inspect where the devices were stored.

The NPC did not respond to the query.

Issue 2: Inflation of three PDA contracts by N1.45 billion

The report alleged that three PDA contracts were inflated by a combined N1.447 billion after the NPC departed from Bureau of Public Procurement-approved specifications and prices.

Auditors said some substituted devices lacked BPP validation and had weaker technical specifications, potentially affecting census operations.

The Auditor-General asked the commission to recover and remit the disputed amount.

Issue 3: N4.43 billion census technology subscription questioned

Auditors questioned a N4.429 billion Mobile Device Management contract paid in full on May 15, 2023, weeks after the census had been postponed.

The commission reportedly said the subscription was used “in the course of carrying out normal official activities.”

However, auditors said no verifiable evidence supported the claim and argued that the licence was specifically procured to manage 800,000 census devices.

Issue 4: N96.8 billion local content contract breached BPP directive

The report accused the NPC of disregarding a BPP directive concerning local-content participation in PDA contracts worth N96.8 billion.

Auditors said the arrangement allowed one supplier to participate in both foreign and local-content allocations, undermining competition and domestic capacity development.

Issue 5: N6.23 billion ICT project awarded without bill of quantities

Auditors said an ICT contract covering census infrastructure and a Disaster Recovery Centre in Kaduna proceeded without an approved Bill of Quantities, weakening cost control and project oversight.

Issue 6: N4.73 billion ICT contract awarded to allegedly unqualified firm

The report also questioned a N4.735 billion ICT contract awarded to a company auditors said lacked required professional qualifications and submitted a conditional rather than mandatory unconditional Advance Payment Guarantee.