Federal Govt Stops Payment For Constituency Projects Without Verification Certificates

Federal government has directed all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to stop processing payments for constituency and zonal intervention projects unless they obtain a Certificate of Verification and Compliance from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

The directive, contained in a Federal Treasury Circular dated 29th June, 2026, was issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and signed by the accountant-general, Dr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi.

The circular mandates all accounting officers, directors and heads of finance and accounts, internal auditors, and other payment-processing authorities across MDAs to ensure strict compliance with the revised guidelines governing the implementation of zonal intervention and constituency projects.

According to the accountant-general, the directive followed the observation of lapses in compliance with an earlier circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 20th September, 2023, which introduced revised guidelines for the implementation of constituency projects.

The circular noted that inconsistent compliance with implementing MDAs had undermined existing regulations on project administration and reporting.

It stated, “The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation wishes to reiterate the provisions of the above-referenced circular further to ensure full compliance by all implementing MDAs, to strengthen accountability, transparency and effective delivery of Zonal Intervention/Constituency Projects and Programmes across the Federation.”

The Treasury Office further reminded MDAs that, under the revised guidelines, the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs is the designated agency responsible for verifying and certifying all constituency projects before implementation.

According to the circular, the ministry is also mandated to ensure that funds released for approved projects are utilised solely for the purposes for which they were appropriated.

The Accountant-General consequently directed all payment-processing authorities to reject any payment request that does not have the ministry’s Certificate of Verification and Compliance.

It stated, “No payment is processed or uploaded on the payment platforms without a Certificate of Verification/Compliance issued by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in relation to all payment requests on ZIP/CP projects.”

The circular further instructed Accounting Officers, Directors and Heads of Finance and Accounts, as well as Directors and Heads of Internal Audit across MDAs, to give the directive the necessary attention and ensure strict compliance.

Constituency projects, officially known as Zonal Intervention Projects, are federal budget projects nominated by members of the National Assembly to address developmental needs in their constituencies. The projects are executed by various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies using funds appropriated in the national budget.

Over the years, the programme has come under increasing scrutiny for abandoned projects, duplication, poor execution, weak monitoring, and misuse of public funds. Reports by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations have repeatedly identified gaps in project implementation and accountability.

To strengthen oversight, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation issued revised guidelines in September 2023 for the implementation of Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects. The guidelines designated the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs as the coordinating ministry responsible for verifying, monitoring, and certifying projects before implementation and payment.

The latest Treasury Circular reinforces those reforms by making the ministry’s Certificate of Verification and Compliance a mandatory precondition for processing all payments relating to constituency projects. The measure is expected to tighten financial controls, improve transparency, and ensure that public funds are released only for duly verified and approved projects.