Ghost Workers: Tinubu Orders Audit of IPPIS, Federal Agencies Over ‘Fake Entities’

ABUJA, Nigeria—President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of all Federal Government systems, including the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), ministries, and agencies.

The directive follows a Federal Executive Council (FEC) resolution on August 19, 2026, sparked by shocking revelations from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding “fake agencies”, ghost workers, and massive internal control failures.

The Minister of Finance and co-ordinating Minister of Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, will oversee and coordinate the high-stakes investigation.

The Audit Blueprint

The exercise aims to expose systemic vulnerabilities, identify how loopholes were exploited, and completely overhaul the federal government’s financial architecture.

The audit is divided into two distinct, interconnected components. The payroll, IPPIS, and financial platforms will investigate ghost workers, payroll fraud, reconcile ICPC-identified figures, and trace how fictitious persons were enrolled.

It will also involve a controlled overhaul to review access, identity verification, biometrics, and Bank Verification Number (BVN) controls.

The forensic review will further analyze the links between IPPIS and other major platforms—including GIFMIS, Remita, and the Treasury Single Account (TSA)—to determine if fraud stems from system defects or deliberate circumvention.

The second major task will be the inventory of federal agencies and parastatals. This will involve legal verification of all departments, commissions, councils, and parastatals to build a definitive inventory and confirm their legal foundations.

The inventory will further examine how entities obtained official recognition, budgets, office facilities, and access to government systems. The auto exercise is expected to tighten governance, procurement, and internal oversight controls to permanently block irregular entities from public funds.

Collaboration and Institutional Overhaul

President Tinubu has demanded the highest standards of independence, professionalism, and forensic integrity for this exercise. The designated audit team will receive full access to all government records and will work hand-in-hand with the ICPC to complement ongoing investigations, asset recoveries, and prosecutions.

According to Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the ultimate goal of the exercise extends beyond catching individual fraudsters. The administration intends to permanently reinforce accountability, secure data verification, and guarantee that public resources are accessible only to legally recognized entities and legitimate personnel.