President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to curbing inflation and ensuring economic stability through disciplined public spending, enhanced transparency, and active citizen participation.
Speaking at the opening of the National Conference on Fiscal Governance, Transparency and Accountability, organised by the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu, represented by Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, outlined reforms aimed at fostering responsible fiscal management.
The three-day conference, themed “Fiscal Governance in Nigeria: Charting a New Course for Transparency and Sustainable Development,” brought together stakeholders to examine pathways for strengthening public accountability.
President Tinubu noted that his government had empowered the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, improved procurement transparency mechanisms, and widened the adoption of digital financial systems across federal agencies.
“These reforms are designed to ensure that public resources are traceable, officeholders are answerable, and Nigerians are better informed,” he said.
He stressed that good governance requires collective responsibility. “The legislature’s role is oversight, the judiciary safeguards the rule of law, the media educates the public, and civil society advocates for accountability,” he remarked.
“We must entrench good governance not as a goal, but as the norm. Strong, autonomous institutions must be built to check power and promote integrity.”
Addressing Nigeria’s inflation challenge, Tinubu said his administration was tackling structural inefficiencies, particularly in the food supply chain, while maintaining prudence in fiscal spending.
“Let me be unequivocal: transparency and accountability are not optional. They are fundamental to fiscal sustainability. We must shift from secrecy to openness, from mistrust to trust.”
He encouraged the National Assembly, and especially the PAC, to carry out their constitutional duties with “honour, courage, and independence.”
“Oversight is not a partisan weapon. It is a national obligation. Our vision for sustainable development hinges on sound investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation, none of which can be realised without responsible budgeting and expenditure.”
The President further stated that fiscal discipline is only meaningful with citizen involvement.
“Nigerians must be empowered to question, examine government accounts, and insist on accountability. Civil society, the media, and the public must not observe from the sidelines, they must co-own the national project.”
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Richard Montgomery, in his goodwill message delivered by William Robinson, Head of Governance, Conflict Resolution and Stability, reaffirmed the UK’s support for democratic accountability and sound leadership.
Montgomery commended Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms, from the removal of fuel subsidies and currency adjustments to the introduction of the new tax reform act, but emphasised that structural reforms must be paired with openness and public participation.
“These measures, while significant, will only succeed if underpinned by transparency and citizen engagement,” he said. “These principles foster trust, reduce waste and corruption, and ensure that spending aligns with national priorities.”
He advocated for the integration of technology into governance through digital audit platforms and real-time public engagement tools.
“The future of accountability is participatory, transparent, and digitally enabled,” Montgomery concluded.