A coalition of civil society organisations under the Open Alliance has accused the governments of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Osun and Rivers states of failing to publish their First Quarter 2026 Budget Implementation Reports within the expected timeframe, describing the delay as a setback to transparency and accountability.
The group said the failure to release the reports reflects a “troubling pattern of fiscal opacity” that weakens public trust in governance and limits citizens’ ability to track how public funds are being managed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Founder of MonITNG, Uadamen Ilevbaoje, the coalition urged the affected states to publish the reports within seven days.
According to the group, budget implementation reports are essential accountability tools that allow citizens, civil society organisations, investors and oversight bodies to monitor government revenue, spending and project execution.
“As of May 18, 2026, the five states are yet to release their Q1 2026 Budget Implementation Reports. This delay is deeply concerning and represents a troubling pattern of fiscal opacity that undermines open governance and weakens public trust in state institutions,” the statement read.
The coalition called for full disclosure of key financial details, including internally generated revenue, federal allocations, recurrent and capital expenditure, debt servicing and project-by-project implementation across ministries, departments and agencies.
It also urged the states to publish the reports on official government websites and ensure they are widely shared through both traditional and digital media platforms.
Open Alliance further demanded that the affected governments explain the reasons for the delay and put measures in place to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“Citizens have a fundamental democratic right to know how public resources are generated, allocated and spent,” the group said. “Delayed disclosure limits public scrutiny, reduces investor confidence and weakens accountability systems.”
The organisation stressed that budget implementation reports are statutory documents and should not be treated as optional releases dependent on government discretion.
It warned that it would continue to monitor compliance and could pursue further civic and legal action if the reports are not released before the May 25 deadline.
