Reps advance law to create watchdog for federal infrastructure projects

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill proposing the establishment of the National Independent Project and Monitoring Agency (NIPMA), aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficient delivery of public projects in Nigeria.

The bill, sponsored by Hon. Chinedu Emeka Martins, seeks to create an independent body that will monitor and evaluate all federally funded projects to ensure they are executed properly, on time, and within approved budgets.

While presenting the bill, Hon. Martins lamented the high number of abandoned or poorly executed projects nationwide, despite huge annual allocations for capital expenditures.

He blamed the failure on the current structure where government ministries and agencies both award and supervise contracts, describing it as ineffective and prone to corruption.

“Across the country, we see abandoned and substandard projects by MDAs. This is wasteful and unacceptable,” Martins said.

“A major reason is the lack of an independent and credible system to monitor these projects.”

He said the proposed agency will help fill this gap by offering neutral and professional oversight, thereby tackling inflated project costs, reducing waste, and helping Nigeria save billions of naira annually.

Martins also pointed out that the agency would complement, not clash with, existing oversight institutions like the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Office of the Auditor-General.

Beyond ensuring accountability, NIPMA is expected to create jobs for professionals such as engineers, quantity surveyors, auditors, and data analysts.

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He concluded by calling on his fellow lawmakers to support the bill, emphasizing that it is a crucial step toward rebuilding public trust, stimulating local economies, and promoting sustainable national development.