FG explains delay in Budget implementation reports since Q2 2024

…Pledges to Release Updates by September End

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

The Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) has explained why it has not published Budget Implementation Reports (BIRs) since the second quarter of 2024, attributing the delay to extensions granted for capital budget implementation and the need for expanded verification processes.

In a statement released in Abuja yesterday, the BOF said that several extensions to the 2024 budget cycle made it difficult to release timely reports, as its framework had to be adjusted to capture an expanded scope of projects.

According to the Office, “The delay in publication is due to two key factors:

Verification and Reconciliation Processes – BIRs are not merely accounting summaries; they integrate expenditure data with physical verification of projects nationwide. These verification missions and reconciliations with implementing agencies took longer than anticipated, given the scale and geographic spread of appropriated projects.

Transition to an Extended Fiscal Framework – Even before the extension was formally passed, policy discussions pointed to a lengthened budget horizon. Issuing reports on the old cycle, only to have them overtaken by a revised framework, would have created conflicting datasets and misled stakeholders. As a result, reporting timelines were temporarily adjusted to preserve coherence and accuracy.”

The BOF stressed that it remained committed to transparency and statutory obligations under the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).

“We reaffirm our commitment to transparency, accountability, and timely disclosure in fiscal reporting. The FRA requires the Budget Office to publish quarterly BIRs, and we acknowledge this statutory obligation. The temporary delay should be seen not as backsliding, but as a reflection of the care taken to ensure accuracy, coherence, and credibility in Nigeria’s fiscal reporting during an exceptional budget cycle,” the statement read.

Provisional Reports Coming September 2025

To bridge the reporting gap, the Budget Office announced that a provisional Budget Performance Report for FY 2024 would be published by the end of September 2025. This interim report, based on verified funding commitments, will provide a snapshot of fiscal performance while detailed project-level verification continues through 2025.

Beginning with Q3 2025, the Office pledged to return to the statutory publication schedule. It also promised to release consolidated reports for Q1 and Q2 2025 alongside the full-year 2024 update, restoring compliance with legal timelines.

The Office further noted that it was enhancing monitoring systems, strengthening collaboration with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and expanding digital integration of expenditure and project data to ensure timely and credible reports in the future.

“The Federal Government remains resolutely committed to upholding Nigeria’s credibility with citizens, markets, and partners by publishing accurate data, restoring predictability in fiscal reporting, and anchoring the budget process firmly on the January–December cycle,” it stated.

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