The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), has emphasized that the fight against corruption cannot be won by anti-graft agencies alone, calling for stronger collaboration among government institutions, civil society, the private sector, and citizens to tackle systemic corruption in Nigeria.
Dr. Aliyu made the call during the International Conference on Anti-Corruption, Transparency and Integrity in Governance, organized by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training arm of the ICPC, in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Speaking through the Director of Special Services Department, Prince Hassan Mohammed, the ICPC chairman described the conference theme, “Strengthening Integrity Systems for Sustainable Development and Public Trust in Nigeria,” as timely and strategic, given the country’s pressing need to strengthen ethical compliance and accountability across all sectors.
According to him, the absence of integrity and adherence to ethical standards remains at the heart of many of Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
“It is an acknowledged fact that lack of integrity and failure in ethical compliance is at the centre of most of the challenges our country is facing today,” he stated.
Dr. Aliyu stressed that combating corruption requires the active involvement of public institutions, private organizations, civil society groups, professional associations, faith-based organizations, the media, academia, and individual citizens.
He noted that the conference seeks to promote policy discussions on anti-corruption strategies, facilitate the exchange of best practices, generate innovative solutions, strengthen stakeholder partnerships, and advance practical recommendations for improved governance. He added that these objectives align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The ICPC chairman expressed confidence that sustained collaboration and innovation would help deepen public trust, strengthen integrity systems, and accelerate national development.
Earlier, the Provost of ACAN, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, lamented the damaging impact of corruption on Nigeria’s socio-economic development, noting that the conference was designed to foster intellectual engagement and policy-driven solutions aimed at overcoming barriers to transparency and integrity.
Professor Ibrahim urged participants to develop practical recommendations capable of reducing corruption and promoting accountability in public and private institutions.
The conference was declared open by Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, retired Commissioner of Police Usman Baba, who commended the ICPC’s efforts in promoting transparency and accountability.
Also speaking at the event, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, said the fight against corruption must move beyond rhetoric and be driven by discipline, determination, and concrete actions.
He maintained that meaningful progress can only be achieved through systemic reforms and a collective commitment by all stakeholders to reject corrupt practices at every level of society.
The conference attracted participants from government institutions, development partners, academia, the private sector, the media, civil society organizations, researchers, students, and anti-corruption advocates who deliberated on practical strategies for strengthening transparency, accountability, and integrity in governance.
The event also featured ACAN’s maiden International Diplomatic Dialogue, themed “Experience Sharing in Anti-Corruption Strategy: The Kenyan Perspective,” with Kenya’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Keen Parashina, delivering the keynote presentation on lessons from Kenya’s anti-corruption reforms and institutional development.
