The Nigerian Government says the latest United States fiscal transparency report does not fully reflect the scope of the country’s ongoing public financial management reforms.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday, following the release of the 2026 report by the US Department of State. The report assessed Nigeria as failing to meet the U.S. minimum fiscal transparency requirements and recorded “no significant progress” during the review period.
Dare said the assessment should be viewed within its specific context, noting that it measures countries against minimum requirements set by the US government, particularly on the disclosure of budget information, government contracts and natural-resource licences.
He said the report itself acknowledged progress in Nigeria’s disclosure of budget documents and debt obligations. According to Dare, issues identified in the report, including procurement disclosure, budget execution reporting and audit processes, are being addressed through ongoing institutional reforms.
He highlighted measures such as the Open Treasury Initiative, public budget documentation and debt disclosures, as well as efforts to strengthen digital procurement systems.
Dare said the government would neither dismiss the report nor treat it as a complete assessment of Nigeria’s fiscal governance. He added that the findings would instead serve as an external benchmark for strengthening transparency, accountability and public financial management.
The presidential aide said the government remained committed to improving fiscal reporting, strengthening audit institutions and expanding access to procurement information for citizens, investors and other stakeholders.
