The National Audit Office (NAO) has reported a sharp increase in its financial receipts and payments for the year 2024, according to its performance audit report presented before the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) on Monday, May 11, 2026.
Figures from the report show that total receipts registered by the NAO in 2024 amounted to D208,405,451, marking a substantial rise from the D144,218,104 recorded the previous year.
On the expenditure side, the NAO’s total payments also grew, climbing from D144,796,636 in 2023 to D204,628,766 in 2024.
The FPAC’s consideration of the report highlights the NAO’s expanding financial operations and underscores the institution’s growing role in managing public funds.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has released its 2024 performance audit report, revealing notable differences between budget estimates and actual expenditures across major categories.
- Personnel Emoluments (PEs): Estimated at D112,599,547.00, actual expenditure was D94,831,472.00, leaving a variance of D17,768,075.00.
- Other Charges (OCs): Budgeted at D74,514,477.00, actual spending stood at D71,890,027.00, with a variance of D2,624,450.00.
- Capital Expenditure: Estimated at D30,700,000.00, actual expenditure reached D25,831,472.00, resulting in a variance of D4,870,928.00.
- Services: With an allocation of D8,400,000.00, actual spending was D8,250,886.00, leaving a variance of D149,114.00.
In its management letter accompanying the report, auditors flagged several issues requiring closer oversight, emphasizing the importance of strengthening budgetary controls and monitoring mechanisms.
The 2024 performance audit report of the National Audit Office (NAO) has highlighted several compliance and operational concerns, alongside corrective measures already underway.
Auditors cited the late payment of withholding tax amounting to D3.871 million, describing it as a violation of tax laws and GRA procedures. They recommended that the NAO finance department adopt a strict calendar to ensure taxes are remitted to the GRA within the mandated 15 days.
The report also noted that the internal audit manual had not been finalized, urging the NAO to expedite its completion and formal approval to provide clear policies and standards for internal audit activities.
On the revolving loan scheme, auditors observed that deductions for one staff member were halted in February and only resumed in October, pointing to lapses in monitoring by the finance team.
The use of the GRA RET Form 12 “will also be introduced immediately to accompany all subsequent payments as recommended.”
Regarding the Internal Audit Manual, the National Audit Office (NAO) explained that the internal audit unit is relatively new. In line with the Global Internal Audit Standard 6.2, such units are expected to begin operations by preparing key policy documents, including the Internal Audit Charter. NAO noted that “notwithstanding, the Internal Audit Manual is currently a work in progress and should be ready before the next audit.”
On the issue of staff loans being discontinued, NAO confirmed that the measure has been “implemented,” a position further validated by their auditors.
The National Audit Office (NAO) is the supreme audit institution of The Gambia, headed by the Auditor General. It is responsible for auditing and reporting on how government institutions utilize public resources. NAO was granted autonomous status through the NAO Act of 2015. Its work is carried out by specialized units led by Directors of Audit, who oversee yearly audits and technical reviews across government institutions.
The five audit units within NAO are: Ministries and Departments, Extraneous, Performance, Projects and Development and Municipal Area Councils.
