The audit used biometric data and a bank verification number (BVN) to discover where the salaries were being paid. The names of some civil servants receiving a salary did not correspond to the names on the bank accounts. Some individuals were receiving salaries from multiple sources.

"The federal government has removed 23,846 non-existent workers from its payroll," Festus Akanbi, a special adviser to the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, announced on Sunday. "Consequently the salary bill for February 2016 has reduced by 2.293bn naira (10.5 million euros) when compared to December 2015 when the BVN audit process commenced," Akanbi added.

The ministry said it would now undertake "periodic checks and utilize computer-assisted audit techniques." New and tougher monitoring of new entrants to the civil service are to be introduced to stop further abuses of the system.

Akanbi said the ministry was working with the financial crimes agency and the National Pension Commission to identify irregularities. The aim was to recover salaries and pension contributions related to the `ghost` workers.

Ongoing exercise

"The ongoing exercise, which is part of the cost-saving and anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari`s administration, is key to funding the deficit in the 2016 budget," said Akanbi.

Buhari`s government came to power last year, pledging in its campaign to tackle corruption and cut the costs of government.

Akanbi said Nigeria`s state coffers were depleted as a result of the collapse in global oil prices. Reducing the costs of state personnel was "key to funding the deficit in the 2016 budget, as savings made will ultimately reduce the amount to be borrowed," he said.

Corruption and mismanagement have held back development of Africa`s largest economy for many years.

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