Isiyaku Ahmed
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, says Corruption is a global challenge that distorts economies, fuels inequality, and undermines national security.
Speaking on Thursday at the 4th Economic Confidential Annual Lecture and the 6th National Spokesperson Awards 2026, the event, themed “Anti-Corruption Reforms, Economic Stability and Effective Communication,” celebrated outstanding public relations and corporate communications professionals at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, he said corruption could only be effectively tackled through strong legal and institutional frameworks.
Dr. Aliyu adopted Robert Klitgaard’s definition of corruption as a situation involving monopoly, discretion and lack of accountability.
He stressed that corruption was not peculiar to Nigeria or Africa, citing the Siemens and Odebrecht scandals as major international corruption cases with links to several countries, including Nigeria and other African nations.
According to him, the Siemens investigation revealed that millions of dollars were allegedly used to bribe public officials in several countries, including Nigeria. He said the case demonstrated how corrupt practices by multinational companies could have far-reaching consequences across borders.
He explained that the investigation involved the United States Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and German prosecutors, partly because Siemens was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and was subject to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
The ICPC Chairman said the Siemens and Odebrecht cases also showed how corruption could undermine public procurement by giving unfair advantages to companies willing to pay bribes.
He noted that corruption had serious economic consequences, including distorted markets, inequality, insecurity and loss of public resources.
Citing a 2025 study by the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre in Gaborone, Botswana, he said 93 per cent of respondents working in anti-corruption agencies and civil society organizations across 14 Commonwealth African countries considered corruption highly prevalent.
He added that the figure was higher among Nigerian respondents from institutions, including the ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau, with 97 per cent describing corruption as rampant.
According to him, the respondents identified greed, lack of integrity and poverty among the major drivers of corruption.
He cited cases involving the diversion of billions of naira and public funds meant for housing projects as examples of how corruption deprives citizens of essential services.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s reforms, including the Treasury Single Account, beneficial ownership registration and various preventive measures implemented by the ICPC to strengthen systems and reduce opportunities for corruption.
Dr. Aliyu, SAN, said the ICPC had adopted measures including ethics and integrity programs, compliance reviews, corruption risk assessments and system studies to prevent corrupt practices.
He stressed that prevention was more effective than waiting for public funds to be stolen before attempting recovery.
He argued that strengthening public financial systems would save the country more resources than allowing funds to be diverted and subsequently pursuing those responsible.
“Prevention is better,” he said, noting that funds diverted years ago lose significant value due to inflation and exchange-rate changes by the time they are recovered.
The ICPC Boss urged stronger preventive mechanisms to protect public resources and ensure that funds allocated for development projects directly benefit Nigerians.
