Nigeria’s fiscal reform agenda suffered a significant setback in June 2025, as the World Bank confirmed the withdrawal of $4 million in performance-based funding due to Nigeria’s failure to meet international auditing standards. This penalty is part of the broader $103 million Fiscal Governance and Institutions Project, a critical initiative aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Nigeria’s public financial management systems.

The lost funding is linked to incomplete and substandard revenue assurance audits conducted on two of Nigeria’s most vital revenue-generating institutions: the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service. These audits, covering fiscal years 2018 through 2021, were a key performance milestone under the World Bank program. However, as outlined in a World Bank restructuring paper released in June 2025, the audits failed to comply with international best practices, which is a critical requirement for disbursement.

The project was funded through a credit facility from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), structured around a performance-based disbursement model. This model ties financial releases to specific reform outcomes, such as improved transparency, digitalization, and independent audits. One such condition was the submission of internationally compliant revenue assurance audits from key revenue agencies.

The restructuring paper noted that “this milestone was not achieved,” resulting in the forfeiture of $4 million in funding. Consequently, Nigeria’s total drawdown from the program stands at $96.04 million, representing 93% of the original allocation.

According to experts, the $4 million deduction is more than a financial loss, it’s a wake-up call. As Nigeria positions itself for post-oil economic sustainability, fiscal governance must move beyond reforms on paper to practical, enforceable standards. Strengthening transparency, audit credibility, and institutional performance is not optional, it is essential for restoring trust, attracting investment, and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s development partnerships.

This shortfall underscores broader challenges facing Nigeria’s public finance ecosystem, including systemic weaknesses in oversight, accountability, and data management.

The audit failure comes at a time when Nigeria is under immense fiscal stress. The government faces a perfect storm of declining oil revenues, growing debt burdens, and a ballooning budget deficit. With rising debt service obligations which are already consuming a significant portion of national revenue, making every dollar in donor support is vital.

Fiscal reforms have been central to President Bola Tinubu’s economic recovery blueprint, especially with efforts to attract multilateral support and boost non-oil revenue. The $4 million loss, though seemingly marginal, represents a symbolic blow to Nigeria’s credibility in the eyes of international partners and lenders.

Despite the setback, the World Bank however acknowledged some commendable strides in Nigeria’s fiscal reform journey, including:

• Non-oil revenue outturn improved dramatically, reaching 153% in 2024, up from 64.9% in 2018, reflecting aggressive domestic revenue mobilization efforts.

• Nigeria published 10 validated economic data sets, surpassing the initial performance target.

• The government launched an Electronic Register of Beneficial Owners, aimed at increasing ownership transparency and combating illicit financial flows.

• A National Asset Registry was also introduced, enhancing inventory control and accountability in public asset management.

  
  

These reforms indicate that while Nigeria may be struggling with procedural compliance in some areas, the broader momentum toward transparency and fiscal discipline is progressing.

Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead

The loss of funding due to inadequate audit compliance reveals persistent institutional challenges, particularly within Nigeria’s auditing and compliance infrastructure. Experts argue that to fully benefit from multilateral development financing, Nigeria must:

1. Strengthen audit independence and capacity, especially within revenue-generating agencies.

2. Digitize audit and compliance frameworks to meet international standards.

3. Improve inter-agency coordination to ensure timely and accurate submissions of required documentation.

4. Institutionalize reform accountability, ensuring that public agencies are held responsible for meeting reform milestones.

   
   

Failure to implement these changes may affect not just current funding, but also Nigeria’s eligibility for future World Bank and donor support tied to performance-based conditions.