By Nkechi Eze
In a renewed push to strengthen Nigeria’s fiscal governance architecture, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives, Honourable Bamidele Salam, has announced that a public hearing on the proposed amendment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007 will be convened in the near future.
The assurance was given on the second day of the 2025 National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance, currently underway in Abuja. The statement was made public through an official release by Bede Ogueri Anyanwu, Head of Strategic Communications at the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC).
Hon. Salam noted that the amendment process forms part of the 10th National Assembly’s broader agenda to align the FRA with current economic realities and evolving best practices in public financial management. He stressed that although the Fiscal Responsibility Act has served the nation well since its enactment in 2007, a comprehensive review is now overdue.
“The Act was a landmark legislation at the time of its passage,” Salam said, “but significant developments, innovations, and fiscal challenges over the past two decades have rendered several provisions inadequate in today’s context. The time has come for us to review and upgrade the law to reflect the dynamic realities of governance.”
The PAC Chairman’s call received broad endorsement from other prominent participants at the conference, including Mr. Frederick Raiga, Chief Executive of the African Association of Accountant Generals (AAAG), and Hon. Medard Lubega Sseggoba, Chairperson of the African Organization of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC), based in Monrovia.
The conference, which convened leading policymakers, financial experts, and lawmakers from across Africa, served as a platform to assess the state of fiscal accountability on the continent and exchange strategies for advancing sustainable public finance reforms.
Also in attendance were Mr. Victor Muruako, Esq., Executive Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission; Mr. Shamsedeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, Accountant General of the Federation; Mr. Shaakaa Janyitor Chira, Auditor General for the Federation; and Senator Victor Umeh. Academic thought leaders such as Professor Ba-Allah Abdelrasaq of the University of Abuja and Professor Maryam Isyaku, Head of Accounting Department at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, also contributed to the policy discourse.
Participants unanimously agreed that a reformed FRA would be critical to enforcing fiscal discipline, promoting transparency, and restoring public trust in government finances. The conference’s proceedings reinforced the urgency of modernizing Nigeria’s fiscal laws as a foundation for effective economic governance.
With the public hearing now on the horizon, stakeholders anticipate a robust and inclusive process that will incorporate input from lawmakers, civil society, academia, and the broader public finance community.
The conference continues as part of Nigeria’s efforts to build momentum for fiscal transformation and align national frameworks with global standards for transparency, sustainability, and accountability in public finance.
