The AdvoKC Foundation has raised alarm over the continued delay in the passage of the Audit Service Bill, 2023, warning that the prolonged inaction by the Nigerian Senate poses a serious threat to accountability, transparency and the integrity of the nation’s public finances.

In a statement issued by its Communications Manager, Luqman Adamu, the Foundation expressed concern that although the Bill was introduced for first reading on October 5, 2023, it has remained stalled without debate or further legislative action, despite Nigeria’s worsening fiscal challenges.

Adamu noted that the delay contradicts the Senate’s own Legislative Agenda, which places emphasis on the fight against corruption, strengthened oversight and the modernisation of public financial management systems.

According to him, the Audit Service Bill is a critical reform designed to replace Nigeria’s outdated 1956 audit law, strengthen the independence of the Office of the Auditor-General and establish mechanisms capable of detecting and preventing corruption before public funds are lost.

He warned that the absence of a strong and modern audit framework continues to fuel leakages across key sectors of the economy, with education, healthcare and infrastructure bearing the brunt of weak oversight.

“Funds meant for rehabilitating schools are lost within opaque systems, worsening the education crisis, while resources earmarked for healthcare are often mismanaged, deepening the challenges of access to quality care,” Adamu said. “Critical infrastructure projects, including roads and power facilities, remain under-delivered, denying Nigerians value for money.”

The AdvoKC Foundation further stated that weak audit enforcement has direct consequences for citizens, noting that students are forced to learn in dilapidated classrooms, mothers travel long distances to access basic healthcare, and businesses struggle to thrive due to poor infrastructure.

Adamu described the continued stalling of the Bill as troubling, particularly in the face of repeated assurances by the Senate on its commitment to fighting corruption and improving governance.

He stressed that the Audit Service Bill aligns with the 10th Senate’s Good Governance Agenda, Nigeria’s international obligations on public accountability and the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to safeguard public funds.

The Foundation therefore urged the Senate leadership to list the Bill for second reading without delay, refer it to the appropriate committee for stakeholder engagement, conduct a transparent public hearing and prioritise its passage in the national interest.

“This is not a request for political favour; it is a demand for institutional integrity,” Adamu said, adding that the handling of the Bill would serve as a defining test of the 10th Senate’s commitment to transparency and national development.