How Nigeria’s Finance Ministry Spent N55 Million on Farewell Party for Perm Sec

Newly surfaced records indicate that Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Finance spent N55 million on a lavish send-off event for Mr. Udo Okonkwo Ekanem, the outgoing Permanent Secretary for Special Duties, fueling concerns over questionable use of public funds. The payment was reportedly made to a private account, a move critics see as a potential breach of financial regulations.

Documents from Nigeria’s public payments portal, Govspend, show that the substantial amount was paid to an individual named Unoh Omolara for Mr. Ekanem’s farewell celebration, held on September 6, 2024, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. The transaction itself was completed a week later, on September 13, sparking further debate about transparency.

Under Nigeria’s Financial Regulations (2009), Chapter Seven, Section 713 clearly prohibits depositing public funds into personal accounts. Yet, the Ministry of Finance acknowledged the event on its official website, commending Mr. Ekanem’s “outstanding commitment” to public service.

This expenditure has drawn public backlash, especially as the sum could have funded critical infrastructure projects. For comparison, the N55 million spent on the party is nearly double the N28.3 million budget allocated for installing 28 boreholes in Jigawa State, including both solar-powered and hand-pump installations aimed at improving rural access to clean water. Critics argue that a farewell event could have been scaled down, with funds redirected to public infrastructure.