POLITICAL Economy

ICPC Recovers ₦5.3 Billion From Seven States, FCT Councils

by admin on | 2026-11-13 16:04:34

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ICPC Recovers ₦5.3 Billion From Seven States, FCT Councils

By Muhammad Bala Imam

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has recovered more than ₦5.3 billion from local government accounts in seven Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory, as it launches a digital transparency initiative targeting all 774 councils.

ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during the launch of the ICPC–National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Local Government Websites Pilot.

The initiative aims to strengthen financial accountability by requiring local governments to publish their budgets, allocations, revenues, expenditures and other official records online.

Aliyu said the programme followed the Supreme Court's July 2024 judgment affirming local government financial autonomy and direct access to statutory allocations.

“Autonomy brings responsibility. Funds that now flow directly to the councils must be spent openly and for the benefit of the people,” he said.

The ICPC chairman described the ₦5.3 billion recovery as evidence of the risks surrounding local government finances and the importance of closer scrutiny.

He explained that the new websites would complement the Commission's investigations by preventing financial abuse through public disclosure.

The websites will operate under a standardised template developed through the ICPC's Accountability and Corruption Prevention Programme for Local Governments (ACPP-LG).

The framework requires councils to disclose information across five areas: financial management, public procurement, human resources, citizen engagement and corruption control.

Financial disclosures will cover budgets, statutory allocations, internally generated revenue, expenditure, audit reports and debts.

The platforms will also provide procurement information, whistleblowing channels and opportunities for citizens to engage with their councils.

“When these records are published regularly, citizens can follow the money, the media can ask informed questions and oversight institutions can detect risks early, before they become losses,” Aliyu said.

He added that the initiative would enable citizens and oversight institutions to identify irregularities before they result in financial losses.

Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, CON, formally flagged off the pilot at the Government House Banquet Hall in Lafia.

The event was themed “Deepening Transparency and Accountability at the Grassroots through Digital Disclosure”. The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Shuaibu Magaji Labaran, SAN, delivered the welcome address.

Aliyu said the Commission selected Nasarawa as the first participating state because of Governor Sule's commitment to good governance.

He also acknowledged the state's longstanding support for the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, the ICPC's training institution located in Keffi.

The ICPC chairman commended NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, for supporting the technical development of the initiative.

He recalled that the agency had pledged to register domain names, develop websites and provide hosting services for at least one year across all 774 local government areas.

Under the partnership, ICPC will provide the accountability framework and disclosure standards, while NITDA will deliver the technology and digital infrastructure.

Aliyu, however, warned that the platforms would only succeed if councils maintained accurate and regularly updated information.

“A website is only as good as the information on it; one that is launched and then abandoned will only disappoint the people,” he said.

He urged council chairmen to appoint committed officers to manage the platforms and ensure timely publication of information.

The ICPC chairman also assured local governments that the Commission would approach the initiative as a partner in corruption prevention, not as an instrument of witch-hunting.

He said lessons from the Nasarawa pilot would guide improvements to the website template and subsequent nationwide rollout.

“Transparency is not an event. It is a habit that will lead to accountability,” Aliyu said.

In his goodwill message, NITDA Director-General Abdullahi highlighted how digital platforms could reduce the difficulties citizens face when seeking information from local authorities.

He cited the example of a woman in a remote Nasarawa community who might travel more than 60 kilometres at her own expense to find out whether her council had approved a community project or to submit a complaint.

“We are in a digital age. Our people are online; therefore, government needs to be online to serve them better,” he said.

Abdullahi identified improved governance, stronger citizen engagement and expanded economic opportunities as the initiative's three main objectives.

He said NITDA would establish technical standards, develop website templates and train citizens to support the programme.

He also encouraged councils to engage local technology professionals to develop and maintain their platforms.

“Our ambition is not 774 websites. It is 774 digitally empowered local governments delivering better experience to millions of Nigerians,” he said.

Flagging off the pilot, Governor Sule designated the Nasarawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NASITDEA) as the state's technical lead.

He directed all local government councils to take responsibility for the accuracy of their online disclosures.

The governor also instructed councils to appoint officers who would verify information before publication and ensure regular updates.

He said the success of the initiative would depend on whether citizens could access useful, accurate and current information, rather than the number of websites launched.

Sule further argued that publishing statutory allocations as they arrive would improve accountability over council finances.

He said the disclosures would end claims by councils that delayed salary payments resulted from funds not reaching them.

The governor also called for state governments to disclose their financial records under a similar arrangement.

He offered Nasarawa as the first state to publish such information, saying this would help citizens identify where funds intended for local governments were being held up.

The Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad I (rtd.), commended the ICPC, NITDA and the Nasarawa State Government for introducing the initiative.

Similarly, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly,  Dr Danladi Jatau, pledged the legislature's support.

Jatau noted that the Constitution empowers state Houses of Assembly to oversee local government finances.

He also commended Governor Sule for his openness regarding federal allocations to the state.

The launch concluded with a technical session on the standardised website template, focusing on its implementation and operation.