* Over N3bn siphoned
* Breakdown of shoddy deals, bank details, companies exposed
In what has become like an order of the day in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, FMCIDE, is in the news for allegations of corruption, DAUDA ISMAIL writes.
While Nigeria currently ranks 125th out of 137 countries on the Global Digital Competitiveness Index, significantly behind other African nations like South Africa, which holds the 58th position, the ministry saddled with the development and implementation of policies, programmes and projects to harness digital technologies is enmeshed in allegations of corruption where huge sums are fretted away.
Investigations by AljazirahNigeria Newspapers revealed among others, a flagrant abuse and violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, FRA, the diversion of funds and high handedness as relates to staff welfare and promotion where-in staff promotion is being alleged to be based on favoritism.
According to the Financial Regulations Act, “personal money shall in no circumstances be paid to government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into private account.” However, investigations revealed that otherwise in the financial dealings of the FMCIDE. For instance, it was discovered that the sum of N3,005,000.00 (Three million and five thousand Naira), paid to Shaka Yaya lyabo’s personal account domiciled in First Bank, with Account Number 302951**00 being payment for DTA, return ticket, airport taxi and local running around for Mfon Affia and 7 others to allow them audit, monitor, inspect and survey activities, radio monitoring and survey residential buildings on February 1, 2023, in clear negation of financial regulations, and available documents further revealed that the said funds were diverted and shared to individual accounts. One of the beneficiaries of the said funds was the same Mfom Udo Affia. Other payments made include N11,825,000 (eleven million, eight hundred and twenty five thousand Naira), paid to the same Shaka Yaya lyabo in same account being payment for hosting of 2022 Digital Nigerian Day Celebration (Publicity, venue, feeding, multimedia equipment for hybrid event) on February, 1, 2023. This is in violation of the laid down rules as the event was alleged not to hold but rather the said money was diverted for personal use as there is evidence of the said sum being paid into several personal accounts such as Chisom Emmanuella, Isibor Irene and Shaka Yaya within the said period.
There was also an incidence of multiple payments of N4,258,000.00 (four million, five hundred thousand Naira), made to Okoye Samuel Chukwuemeka three times on same day, February 1, 2023 as estacode and air tickets. Another phony payment was the N4,500,000.00 (four million, five hundred thousand Naira), paid to the same Shaka Yaya lyabo on April 4, 2023 for monitoring and evaluation of program/project implementation for 2022 capital budget. The said funds were diverted as it was paid to Nwakpa Justice on April 6, 2023.
In a petition made available to this medium, the petitioner further alleged that over N1.2 billion naira was diverted by Director of Procurement, Mrs. Margaret Ene Ebute. Furthermore, it is alleged that a payment of N500 million naira to Westfield Global Construction Ltd was approved by Mrs. Ebute on the December 29, 2023, against the extant law.
Additionally, another sum of N302 Million naira was paid to Messrs Westfield Global Construction Ltd, and a further N120 million naira was paid to National Assembly Members to increase the 2024 budget of the ministry, an incidence that didn’t reflect in the appropriation of the Ministry which also prevented the payments of staff’s claims despite being released in the 2023 appropriation.
Again, a total of N400 million naira was paid to six different companies for consultancy services on the ICT Park project, in violation of procurement laws.
There is also an allegation of diversion of funds and issues of high handedness as relates to staff welfare and promotion where-in promotions is been alleged to be based on favoritism.
However, despite a letter dated May 5, 2025 to the Honourable Minster and duly received same day requesting for the afollowing: The approving authority for the payments made to individual accounts against the financial regulations act; List of capital payments made since 2023 till date, Full details of the companies paid the sums and evidence of procurement procedures before the said payments were done, evidence of jobs done so far after the said payments made for the consultancy services on ICT Park Project, Westfield Global Construction Ltd, justification for being paid money for evaluation but eventually transferred to one Nwakpa Justice; and a nominal roll of the Ministry of Communications employees showing current cadre, date of last promotion, year of employment, state of origin, and academic qualifications, and a reminder to that effect done on May 30, the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, FMCIDE was yet t respond to either the original letter or its reminder and received on June 2, 2025, as at the time of filing this report.
According to a commentator, Olwatobi Joshua, “these allegations of fraud have become commonplace within the Nigerian public service that I wonder if the effected individuals have any iota of remorse left in them to do things right.”
