Tinubu orders forensic audit of IPPIS, FG systems over ghost workers, ‘fake agencies’

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of Federal Government systems, including the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), following findings on ghost workers, alleged “fake agencies” and other control weaknesses.

This is according to a statement issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The President directed the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate the exercise.

What the Presidency is saying

The Presidency said the directive followed the Federal Executive Council’s resolution of August 19, 2026, which was based on findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) concerning “fake agencies”, ghost workers and other weaknesses in government controls.

The exercise will seek to determine how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled on government payroll and establish whether the irregularities resulted from system weaknesses, process failures or deliberate circumvention of controls.

• “It will examine reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud, reconcile the figures identified by the ICPC, trace how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled, and review access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls,” the presidency noted.

The statement further added that the review will extend beyond IPPIS to its interfaces with other platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA.

The second part of the exercise will cover Federal Government ministries, departments, agencies, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.

According to the Presidency, the audit will…