How technology helped Nigeria detect 45,000 ghost workers — Kemi Adeosun

Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has explained how the Federal Government deployed technology to tackle widespread payroll fraud, disclosing that the integration of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) led to the identification of 45,000 “ghost workers.

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Speaking at the Citadel School of Government Dialogue series in Lagos, Adeosun said the federal payroll, which was the government’s largest expenditure at the time, had long been plagued by inefficiencies that earlier biometric measures failed to address.
She noted that past efforts to clean up the payroll system through biometric verification often stalled due to resistance, especially from paramilitary institutions like the Police and the Army, which declined participation in centralised systems.
According to her, the breakthrough came when her team decided to rely on the already existing BVN database instead of introducing a new biometric process.
“The payroll was our biggest cost,” she said. “Previous biometric efforts had stalled because paramilitary groups refused to cooperate. We bypassed this by using BVN data. We ran the federal payroll against the BVN database, and the result was staggering: we found 45,000 ‘ghost workers.’”
Adeosun clarified that the issue of ghost workers was not always the result of sophisticated criminal networks, but often due to systemic lapses and individual misconduct.
“In many cases, it wasn’t a ‘ghost,’ but one person’s BVN linked to seven different salaries,” she explained, adding that some cases involved deceased or transferred workers who were still on the payroll.
To sustain the reform, she introduced human accountability by mandating Permanent Secretaries to personally approve their payrolls, thereby ensuring responsibility and reducing opportunities for fraud.
She emphasised the importance of data-driven policymaking, urging public officials to rely on verifiable evidence when defending policies.
“If you just shout, you’re just a ‘clanging cymbal.’ If you come armed with data and graphs, you can take on anybody. Data is hard to argue with,” she said.
The event, which also featured Tunde Bakare and Mike Adebamowo, underscored the need for leaders to embrace modern tools in solving longstanding governance challenges.
Adeosun encouraged leaders to adopt emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, while maintaining the discipline required to implement reforms effectively.
“If you can’t explain your policy, you shouldn’t be doing it,” she added, stressing that while technology provides the tools, strong leadership is necessary to achieve meaningful change.
Participants at the dialogue agreed that although uncovering 45,000 ghost workers was a significant achievement, such reforms must be institutionalised through legislation to prevent reversal by future administrations.
Bakare commended Adeosun’s resilience, noting that her return to public discourse with her reputation intact reflects positively on governance.
The dialogue concluded with a consensus that while innovations like BVN and AI are critical in driving reforms, only committed leadership and legal backing can ensure lasting impact.