Kemi Adeosun says BVN integration helped the Federal Government uncover 45,000 ghost workers and curb payroll fraud.
Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has revealed that the Federal Government uncovered 45,000 ghost workers following the integration of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) into the federal payroll system. She made this known during a dialogue at the Citadel School of Government in Lagos, highlighting how technology helped tackle widespread payroll fraud.
Adeosun explained that earlier biometric verification efforts failed due to resistance from paramilitary agencies, including the police and army. However, by leveraging existing BVN data, her team identified inconsistencies, including cases where a single BVN was linked to multiple salary payments, exposing systemic inefficiencies and fraudulent practices.
She added that accountability measures, such as requiring Permanent Secretaries to sign off on payrolls, were introduced to sustain the reform. Adeosun emphasised the importance of data-driven governance, urging leaders to adopt technology and evidence-based policies to drive transparency and long-term institutional reforms.
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