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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives on Tuesday raised alarm over the whereabouts of funds recovered from the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) during the Federal Government, ordered probe of 2024–2025, warning that the delay in releasing the money is hindering the resumption of key welfare programmes for millions of vulnerable Nigerians.
The alarm followed the adoption of an urgent motion titled: “Urgent Need to Investigate the Status and Whereabouts of Funds Recovered from NSIPA During the 2024–2025 Investigation, With a View to Fast-Tracking the Recommencement of Social Investment Programmes,” sponsored by Rt. Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi (APC–Niger).
Abdullahi recalled that NSIPA, responsible for implementing major social protection programmes such as GEEP, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), and the Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG), has been central to the government’s poverty-reduction efforts, school enrollment expansion, nutrition improvement, and financial inclusion for millions of Nigerians.
The concerns being raised, he noted, stem from controversies that engulfed NSIPA between late 2023 and early 2024, when the agency was accused of large-scale financial infractions. The allegations prompted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend NSIPA operations on January 8, 2024, to allow security and anti-corruption agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation. The probe uncovered irregular fund transfers, alleged diversions, and discrepancies involving Payment Service Providers and commercial banks.
During the investigation, authorities traced and recovered significant sums belonging to the agency, particularly funds allocated for TraderMoni, MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and GVG. Sources familiar with the probe disclosed that over ₦30 billion was recovered and held pending the conclusion of the inquiry.
Although the President lifted the suspension on January 21, 2025, Abdullahi noted that NSIPA has been unable to resume full operations, reportedly due to its inability to access the recovered funds. The delay has stalled planned interventions across the country, disrupted the school feeding programme in several states, and left millions of vulnerable Nigerians without expected support.
Presenting the urgent motion, Abdullahi said “credible sources have indicated that the recovered funds, estimated at over ₦30 billion, have not been remitted into NSIPA’s designated Treasury Single Account (TSA).”
He expressed worry that the prolonged non-release of the funds undermines the Renewed Hope Agenda, weakens small-scale enterprises, slows down local economic activities, and erodes public trust in the government’s social welfare commitments.
He added that the situation continues to expose poor households, farmers, women, and micro-entrepreneurs to worsening hardship as key social investment programmes remain suspended.
Following the debate, the House resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to determine the total funds recovered during the probe, establish their current location and custodians, and identify factors delaying their release. The committee is also mandated to interface with relevant agencies and obtain a clear implementation and disbursement plan from NSIPA.
The ad-hoc committee is expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.