/ Sep 30, 2026
/ Sep 30, 2026

FG limits ministers’ imprest to N700,000 in new spending rules

Published on

By

The Federal Government has introduced tighter controls on public spending, cutting the imprest ceiling for ministers to N700,000 under new financial rules aimed at improving accountability across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), according to a circular reported by Punch Newspapers.

 

The directive, contained in the 2026 Annual General Imprest Warrant and issued through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, sets fresh limits on cash advances for government officials. It was signed by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Taiwo Oyedele and conveyed via a Federal Treasury Circular.

Under the new structure, ministers will now receive a maximum reimbursable imprest of N700,000. Permanent secretaries and directors-general are capped at N500,000, while directors and heads of departments are limited to N300,000. Lower-ranking imprest holders will receive up to N100,000.

The Office of the Accountant-General, led by Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, said the move aligns with existing financial regulations and is designed to strengthen transparency in public expenditure.

The circular also restricts reimbursement frequency, stating that standing imprest should normally be retired quarterly, with a maximum of twice per quarter where necessary. It further mandates that procurement above N1 million must go through formal contract awards under Nigeria’s Public Procurement Act.

To improve monitoring, MDAs have been directed to submit detailed returns on 2025 imprest usage within 30 days, including lists of approved holders for 2026. Accounting officers are also required to operate dedicated bank accounts for imprest transactions, with monthly reporting to the Treasury.

Officials warned that breaches could lead to sanctions, including withdrawal of imprest approval powers from accounting officers.

The policy forms part of broader public financial management reforms, including tighter treasury controls and electronic payment systems, aimed at reducing leakages and improving accountability in government spending.

You May Like

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

Must Read

Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo during a meeting with Kuwait Fund officials in Kuwait

Ododo leads Kogi delegation to Kuwait for development partnership

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, has led a high-level delegation to Kuwait to seek development financing, technical expertise and strategic partnerships for projects under the state’s Development Plan 2024–2056.   According to Channels Television, the visit has opened discussions with key Kuwaiti institutions, with technical teams expected to begin preparing priority projects for implementation. During the mission, Ododo met officials of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), where he presented Kogi’s development priorities and sought a long-term partnership focused on transforming the state’s natural and human resources into economic opportunities. The proposed areas of cooperation include water infrastructure, irrigation, agriculture, renewable energy, solid minerals, agro-industrial development, transport, communications and ICT, education and healthcare. KFAED expressed readiness, in principle, to work with Kogi on priority projects, subject to technical, financial and institutional appraisal processes. The governor also held discussions with Kuwait University on research, innovation, engineering, agriculture, water-resource management and technology. The talks explored knowledge exchange and capacity development between the university and tertiary institutions in Kogi. Ododo’s delegation further met Kuwait’s Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, Dr Subaih Abdulaziz Al-Mukhaizeem, to discuss water infrastructure, irrigation, renewable energy and power development. The governor said improved water infrastructure could support communities and agriculture, while irrigation would help expand all-season farming. He also linked reliable energy to agro-processing and industrialisation, and mineral beneficiation to greater value retention within Kogi. Discussions were also held with the Governor of Al Ahmadi Governorate, Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on possible cooperation in infrastructure, investment and industrial development. A key outcome of the mission was the establishment of a technical process to advance the agreements and understandings reached during the meetings. The process will include project documentation, feasibility studies, technical assessments and other preparatory work. Ododo thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s diplomatic support and praised the Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait for facilitating the engagements. The governor said the mission marked a shift from high-level discussions to detailed technical work aimed at developing partnerships in water, agriculture, irrigation, energy, education, research, solid minerals, commerce and industrial development.
Read more

Editor's Pick

Trending News

Newsletter

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

You have been successfully Subscribed! Ops! Something went wrong, please try again.

© 2026 GongNews. All Rights Reserved.