The Federal Government has introduced stricter regulations on imprest reimbursement, mandating that all requests for reimbursement must not exceed twice within a single quarter. This directive was outlined in a circular released by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, which also confirmed that the Minister of Finance has signed the Annual General Imprest Warrant (AGIW) for the year 2026.
New Imprest Limits for Officials
The circular, signed by the Accountant General, Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, establishes specific limits for reimbursable imprest across various categories of officers. Ministers are now entitled to an imprest limit of N700,000, while permanent secretaries and director generals have a limit of N500,000. Directors and heads of department can access up to N300,000, and heads of formations in each state, along with other authorized imprest holders, have a limit of N100,000.
Frequency of Reimbursement
According to the circular, the frequency of reimbursement for any standing imprest shall normally be once per quarter. However, in cases where necessary, reimbursements may occur up to twice in a quarter. The document emphasizes strict adherence to financial regulations.
Reason for Tightened Rules
The decision to tighten these rules follows a significant 308 percent increase in imprest claims, which reached N2.27 billion in 2024, up from N556.3 million in 2023. There were reports of widespread abuse, including failure to retire funds and duplication of payments. The circular stresses that all imprest holders must comply with Financial Regulations nos. 1005 to 1012 to maintain proper accounts.
Compliance Requirements
All self-accounting ministries, extra-ministerial offices, and agencies, including all arms of government, are required to submit to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation within 30 days the particulars of vouchers used to retire imprest for 2025, as well as a list of entitled imprest holders and their locations for 2026. Additionally, imprest holders must open an operational bank account for managing imprest in line with the e-payment policy.
Furthermore, all accounting officers and those controlling expenditure are directed to ensure that local procurement of stores and services costing above N1 million is conducted only through contract awards, unless otherwise specified by the Public Procurement Act 2007.
