The Federal Government has launched a nationwide revenue recovery exercise aimed at boosting inflows into the Federation Account and blocking financial leakages across key revenue-generating agencies.
The initiative was unveiled on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the headquarters of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in Abuja. The event was presided over by the RMAFC Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Shehu, who hosted the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, during the formal inauguration of consultants engaged to carry out the recovery exercise.
According to a statement signed by the RMAFC Head of Information and Public Relations, Maryam Yusuf, the move is part of ongoing efforts to improve fiscal transparency, strengthen accountability, and ensure that all statutory revenues due to the Federation are fully remitted.
The new drive comes amid reports of alleged under-remittance of $42.37 billion (N12.91 trillion) to the Federation Account between 2011 and 2017, as revealed in a recent investigation.
Dr. Shehu said the exercise represents a major step in reinforcing Nigeria’s fiscal discipline and transparency, stressing that every kobo due to the Federation must be accounted for.
“This exercise is not a routine administrative action,” he said. “It is a deliberate, result-oriented innovation designed to strengthen fiscal governance and ensure every recoverable naira due to the Federation is transparently remitted.”
He explained that the engagement of independent consultants would help close gaps in revenue collection, improve monitoring, and strengthen the fiscal capacity of the federal, state, and local governments in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The RMAFC boss emphasised that the exercise aligns with the Commission’s constitutional mandate to monitor accruals into and disbursements from the Federation Account. He noted that the new phase of the initiative had received the full backing of President Tinubu, his Special Adviser on Revenue, and the leadership of the FIRS.
According to the statement, the consultants are expected to conduct “spatial recovery projects” — detailed sector-wide investigations aimed at identifying and recovering unremitted revenues across all key sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, telecommunications, mining, and maritime operations.
Representing the FIRS Chairman at the event, the Coordinating Director of FIRS, Shettima Tamadi, commended the RMAFC Chairman for what he described as “a proactive and strategic move” to address Nigeria’s fiscal challenges.
He noted that the country’s revenue gap remains wide but expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between the FIRS, RMAFC, and the newly engaged consultants would help bridge that gap and support sustainable fiscal growth.
“Nigeria has a huge revenue gap,” Tamadi said, “but with stronger collaboration between agencies and partners, we can bridge that gap and achieve sustainable fiscal growth.”
The Secretary to the Commission, Joseph Okechukwu, also applauded the effort, urging the consultants to carry out their work diligently and complete the assignment within the stipulated six-month period. He emphasised that the recovered funds should be promptly remitted into the Federation Account to support national development priorities.
Delivering his acceptance speech on behalf of the consultants, the lead consultant, Temitayo Ojeleke, described the assignment as a national call to duty. He pledged that the consortium would approach the task with professionalism, transparency, and measurable outcomes.
“We accept this assignment as partners in Nigeria’s economic renewal,” he said. “We are ready to deliver results that will strengthen the nation’s revenue base.”
The inauguration marks a significant milestone in the federal government’s ongoing efforts to deepen inter-agency collaboration, improve transparency, and maximise non-oil revenue generation.
The exercise is expected to help Nigeria recover billions in unremitted funds and support the government’s push to reduce borrowing by improving internally generated revenues.
Analysts say the new revenue recovery initiative could improve Nigeria’s fiscal stability by closing funding gaps in the national budget and reducing dependence on public debt. If successful, the exercise will help the government meet its revenue targets under the 2025 fiscal framework, ease pressure on external borrowing, and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s fiscal management. However, experts caution that transparency, political will, and inter-agency cooperation will be key to achieving lasting results.
