By Okeoghene Akubuike
Abuja, Jan. 22, 2026 (NAN) The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr Shamsudeen Ogunjimi, has called on auditors at the local government level to strengthen accountability and transparency as a foundation for sustainable national development.
Ogunjimi made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the 2026 Annual Capacity Building Workshop of the Forum of Auditors-General of Local Government and Area Councils in Nigeria.
The two day workshop is themed “Strengthening Local Government Accountability for Sustainable National Development: The Strategic Role of Auditors-General in a Reforming Economy.”
Ogunjimi, represented by Usman Abubakar, Director, Consolidated Accounts Department, said the theme underscored the fact that sustainable development was rooted in sound financial management and accountability at all levels of government.
“As the Federal Government continues to implement macro-level fiscal reforms, their success largely depends on effective alignment and implementation at the state and local government levels, which are the frontline of service delivery.”
He said ongoing public financial management reforms being driven by his office, were aimed at strengthening transparency and eliminating financial abuse.
Ogunjimi said the reforms include treasury modernisation, automation of accounting processes, improved financial reporting, and the implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
He explained that the adoption of IPSAS across the three tiers of government had enhanced disclosure, transparency and accountability, adding that aligning the reforms at subnational levels would significantly improve payroll integrity, budget execution and fiscal discipline.
The AGF stressed the need for strong, independent audit institutions and urged auditors to move beyond routine compliance audits to risk-based, performance and system audits that would support reforms, strengthen oversight and improve governance outcomes nationwide.
He stated that another vital factor was collaboration, emphasising that strong synergy among auditors-general, accountants-general, local government administrators, and oversight institutions was essential to ensure accountability.
Dr Shaakaa Chira, Auditor-General of the Federation, said accountability had become a fundamental driver of public trust, performance and sustainable governance outcomes.
Chira, represented by Dr Mustapha Kabir, noted that auditors at the local government level were pivotal in ensuring that public resources were utilised with integrity, transparency and value for money.
He said the workshop provided a platform for deepening understanding of accountability frameworks, enhancing audit practices and adopting innovative approaches suited to Nigeria’s reforming economy.
According to him, strengthening local government accountability will reinforce citizens’ confidence in governance, promote fiscal discipline and ensure that government priorities translated into tangible benefits for the people.
Chira urged participants to embrace innovation, technology, data analytics and risk-based audit approaches, while fostering collaboration and peer learning across states.
He expressed confidence that deliberations at the workshop would produce actionable strategies to improve accountability systems at the grassroots and support sustainable national development.
Earlier, Babagana Laminu, Chairman, Forum of Auditors-General of Local Government in Nigeria, described the theme of the workshop as a call to action rather than a mere topic for discussion.
Laminu, who is also the Auditor-General for Local Government Borno State, said sustainable national development was closely linked to the integrity, transparency and performance of the local government system.
Laminu said the role of the Auditor-General must evolve from narrow compliance checks to a strategic force for good governance, value for money and prevention of waste through risk-based and real-time audit approaches.
He urged the participants to deliberate on practical mechanisms for enhancing audit effectiveness at the local government level and to explore innovative tools, including data analytics and citizen engagement, to promote clean audit institutions.
Laminu also emphasised the need to strengthen linkages between audit findings, legislative oversight and executive action, while fostering a culture of accountability essential for a reformed economy to deliver on its promises to citizens.
He commended the AGF and his team for reforms in treasury management and financial systems, saying they provided the platform upon which accountability and effective audits were built.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
