BVN Verification Exposes 45,000 Phantom Federal Employees

Former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun revealed that the Federal Government’s use of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) system uncovered approximately 45,000 irregular entries on the federal payroll. The initiative highlighted payments made to non-existent or duplicate accounts, previously undetected by earlier verification efforts.

Adeosun explained that many of the discrepancies were not deliberate fraud but resulted from outdated records, including payments to people who had died or changed positions without proper updates. By leveraging the BVN network, officials were able to identify instances where one registered number was linked to multiple salaries.

To improve accountability, senior civil service leaders were required to personally verify and approve payroll lists before releasing salaries. Adeosun emphasized that combining data-driven tools with clear leadership responsibility is essential to reducing waste and corruption in government spending.

The former minister also stressed the importance of institutionalizing such verification systems through law, ensuring they persist beyond individual administrations and create lasting oversight.