The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Worldwide has demanded full accountability from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) over 13 audit observations contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s report on non-compliance and internal control weaknesses in federal government agencies.

NIDO Worldwide also called for the immediate constitution and effective operation of NiDCOM’s statutory Governing Board, saying the absence of the board raises broader concerns about institutional oversight of an agency established to manage Nigeria’s engagement with its citizens abroad.

The organisation made the demands in a statement on Saturday following its review of the Auditor-General for the Federation’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance/Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government for the year ended December 31, 2024.

According to NIDO Worldwide, the audit observations concerning NiDCOM are contained in Volume I of the report, under the International Audit and Liaison Department, covering transactions and activities for the 2023 financial year.

The organisation stressed that the audit report should neither be treated as a criminal conviction nor dismissed as a social media allegation, but as an official document requiring a formal response from the institution concerned.

It said the issues raised by the Auditor-General cut across financial reporting, procurement, contract execution, payments and asset management.

Among the observations highlighted by NIDO are the alleged non-submission of NiDCOM’s 2023 audited financial statements; procurement through emergency procedures without the required certification; alleged splitting of contracts to avoid approval thresholds; and contracts awarded to companies whose statutory or prequalification documents were reportedly invalid or expired.

The audit observations also reportedly included concerns over the financial capacity of some contractors, payments relating to diaspora events for which evidence of execution was not produced for audit, alleged overpayments to contractors, breaches of tax deduction and federal e-payment requirements, movement of funds between expenditure heads, cash advances above statutory limits and five vehicles listed in the Commission’s records that were reportedly not sighted during physical verification.

NIDO Worldwide said one aspect of the report was particularly significant: the Auditor-General recorded “No response” from NiDCOM management against each of the 13 observations.

The organisation said the audit report consequently maintained the findings pending implementation of the recommendations and called for the Commission’s leadership to account before the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly where required.

NIDO, however, stressed that the audit findings should not be interpreted as proof of personal dishonesty or criminal liability by any individual.

“An audit observation is not a criminal conviction, and non-compliance recorded by an auditor is not, without more, proof of personal dishonesty by any individual,” it said, adding that it would not prejudge anyone or support trial by social media.

The group said its central demand was therefore straightforward: that the Commission provide documentary answers to the observations.

It noted that NiDCOM had, in a public statement issued on September 5, 2026, indicated that relevant documentation remained intact and would be made available to the Auditor-General and the appropriate committees of the National Assembly when required.

NIDO said it expected the undertaking to be honoured fully.

It also rejected the idea that the audit observations were questioning whether diaspora events took place, arguing that the central issues raised by the Auditor-General concern whether the contracts underpinning such activities were properly procured and whether sufficient documentary evidence of execution was available for audit.

“The answer to that query therefore lies in the vouchers, contracts, approvals and delivery records, not in the guest lists,” the organisation said.

Those that signed the statement are: Dr Fatoye Olufemi, Chairman, NIDO Africa; Barr. Chibuzo Ubochi, Chairman, NIDO Europe Coordinating Chairman, NIDO Worldwide; Dr Chris Juwon Fayomi, Coordinator, NIDO Oceania; Dr Victor Ubani, Chairman, NIDO Americas; Dr Franca Adanne Akinola, Chairman, NIDO Asia

The organisation’s intervention also brought renewed attention to the governance structure of NiDCOM.

NIDO said the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Establishment) Act 2017 provides for a Governing Board with responsibility for the general administration of the Commission, including functions relating to policy and its audited and management accounts.

It said it was not aware, as of the date of its statement, that the Governing Board contemplated by the Act had been constituted and operationalised.

According to the organisation, the prolonged absence of the board represents a gap in the governance framework established by law for NiDCOM, particularly because of the board’s oversight responsibilities.

NIDO was careful to distinguish its governance concerns from any suggestion that a Governing Board would necessarily have prevented the matters raised in the audit.

It said the point was that statutory oversight structures should be operational in a public institution.

“This is not about weakening NiDCOM. It is about strengthening the institution and completing its governance architecture,” it said.

NIDO Worldwide subsequently called for full cooperation with the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, including the production of all documents required to address the audit observations.

It also demanded the prompt submission of outstanding audited financial statements and continued compliance with public finance, procurement and audit requirements.

Where the Auditor-General recommends recovery and remittance of public funds, NIDO called for the recommendations to be implemented, while prescribed sanctions should be applied where competent authorities establish that they are warranted.

Beyond the immediate audit issues, the organisation called for stronger diaspora participation in the governance and consultative structures responsible for diaspora affairs.

It also renewed its demand for the creation of dedicated Diaspora Desks in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in Nigerian embassies, high commissions and missions abroad.

According to NIDO, such desks would provide Nigerians living outside the country with identifiable institutional channels for issues involving consular services, investment, welfare and repatriation.

The organisation further renewed its call for diaspora voting rights, saying Nigerians living abroad should be enabled to participate in Nigeria’s electoral process through appropriate constitutional and legislative measures.

NIDO also proposed that a federal institution should be designated to be led and managed by Nigerians in the Diaspora, arguing that diaspora professionals could contribute their experience of governance and institutional practices acquired abroad.

It recommended the National Orientation Agency for that purpose.

The organisation nevertheless cautioned against allowing the audit controversy to degenerate into a contest between individuals, organisations or political interests.

“NIDO Worldwide is non-partisan and takes no part in any partisan contest,” it said.

It maintained that legitimate scrutiny of public expenditure should not depend on who raises the issue, stressing that the substantive response should be directed to the Auditor-General’s report and the constitutional institutions responsible for acting on it.

The organisation also said accountability should apply across the diaspora engagement ecosystem, including NIDO itself.

It stressed that where expenditure was properly documented, authorised and justified, this should be established, while any funds determined by competent authorities to be recoverable should be returned and any wrongdoing established through due process should be dealt with according to law.

NIDO urged the Auditor-General and the National Assembly to discharge their oversight responsibilities without intimidation or politicisation, while urging NiDCOM to provide comprehensive answers to the audit observations.

“Produce the records. Answer the observations. Implement the recommendations. Constitute the Board. Strengthen the institution,” the organisation said.

“That is how public accountability works. That is how confidence is restored.”