The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged a comprehensive overhaul of integrity and revenue-collection systems at the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), describing such reforms as critical to national development and effective governance.
The call was made on Monday in Abuja by ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, while opening a two-day executive anti-corruption training organised by NIWA in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN).
Speaking through the Commission’s spokesperson, J. Okor Odey, Dr. Aliyu stressed that for an agency with NIWA’s regulatory and revenue-generating mandate, embedding strong anti-corruption frameworks is “not optional but essential.” He noted that integrity must be systematically built into organisational processes rather than left to individual ethics.
“Preventing corruption is more beneficial and cost-effective than chasing stolen funds,” the ICPC Chairman said, reaffirming the Commission’s preventive approach. He pledged ICPC’s support through system reviews, corruption risk assessments, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening transparency and public trust across Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Declaring the workshop open, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, underscored the link between institutional integrity and economic growth. Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Hajia Fatima Sugra Tabi Mahmood, the Minister described NIWA as a key driver of the Federal Government’s Blue Economy agenda, noting that integrity is vital for reducing transport costs, boosting trade, and attracting investment.
In his welcome address, NIWA Board Chairman, Barrister Mukhtari Shehu Shagari, CFR, aligned the reforms with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, insisting that integrity must be a practical discipline guiding every decision at NIWA. He outlined an integrity action plan featuring digital payment systems, stronger internal controls, continuous ethics training, and community engagement to enhance transparency and investor confidence.
Also speaking, ACAN Provost Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, represented by Deputy Director Mr. Clement Obaniyi, said the training was designed to deliver practical outcomes, enabling participants to identify corruption risks, prevent revenue leakages, and develop actionable integrity plans.
The Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Umar Yusuf Girei, expressed appreciation to the Minister, ICPC, and the NIWA Board, urging staff to sustain the collaborative momentum of the retreat to achieve greater institutional effectiveness and progress.
