Twenty-one of Nigeria’s 36 states earned a rating of “fair” in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria rating system for states’ compliance with audit rules as at October 2023. It is the ICAN Accountability Index.
Three states earned the Excellent rating, and nine scored Good.
The 1999 Nigerian Constitution mandates states and local governments to submit audited accounts by the auditor general after reviewing the financial statement by the Accountant General.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria commenced audit rating for states in Nigeria in 2014 to assess the financial management and accountability of state governments in Nigeria.
States with a ” fair ” ranking are Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River. Ebonyi, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina and Kebbi. Also on the list are Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
The ICAN assessment of states’ audits focuses on compliance with audit rules and regulations and the quality and timeliness of audit reports, resulting in a rating of Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor for each state.
Dr Innocent Okwuosa, the 59th president of ICAN, said, “The rankings suggest an overall trend of improving compliance with the constitutional requirement to audit state and LG accounts since the introduction of the ICAN Accountability Index.
“However, significant variation still exists among states, highlighting the need for continued efforts to ensure consistent compliance and strengthen accountability practices across all states in Nigeria. The rankings provide valuable insights into the progress and areas that require further attention.”
On compliance variations, Dr Okwuosa said, “Compliance varies significantly among states, as reflected in their rankings. States like Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Edo and Niger have consistently improved their rankings over the years, suggesting a sustained commitment to auditing accounts. However, some states, like Bayelsa and Ekiti, have shown fluctuating performance, indicating the need for more consistent efforts.”
A “Fair” ranking by the ICAN rules means: “The state government has a fair level of compliance with audit rules. The audit reports may be submitted late or may not be of high quality. The state government may also not implement all of the audit recommendations.”
The ICAN Rating
State ICAN Accountability Index Rating
1 Lagos Excellent
2 Ekiti Excellent
3 Osun Excellent
4 Ogun Good
5 Kaduna Good
6 Edo Good
7 Delta Good
8 Kwara Good
9 Rivers Good
10 Anambra Good
11 Enugu Fair
12 Oyo Fair
13 Ondo Fair
14 Benue Fair
15 Adamawa Fair
16 Akwa Ibom Fair
17 Imo Fair
18 Bauchi Fair
19 Jigawa Fair
20 Gombe Fair
21 Nasarawa Fair
22 Niger Fair
23 Plateau Fair
24 Taraba Fair
25 Yobe Fair
26 Kebbi Fair
27 Sokoto Fair
28 Katsina Fair
29 Zamfara Fair
30 Borno Fair
31 Cross River Fair
32 Bayelsa Fair
33 Kano Fair
34 Abia Fair
35 Ebonyi Fair
36 FCT Fair