By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has unveiled corruption risk assessment reports on three critical public institutions, declaring that effective public service delivery must work for Nigerians while calling for stronger institutional reforms, digital governance and inter-agency collaboration to curb corruption in the health and education sectors.
The reports, presented on Monday, in Abuja, cover the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and form part of the Commission’s preventive anti-corruption strategy aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and efficient service delivery.
Speaking at the public presentation, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, described the exercise as a significant milestone in the Commission’s efforts to identify and eliminate systemic weaknesses that undermine governance and public confidence.
Aliyu stressed that corruption risk assessments must go beyond documentation to drive measurable institutional reforms capable of improving service delivery and restoring trust in public institutions.
He noted that the three agencies occupy strategic positions in Nigeria’s human capital development agenda, as their performance directly affects access to health insurance, primary healthcare services and quality basic education.
According to him, the assessments uncovered several corruption vulnerabilities, including leakages in health insurance payments, diversion of medical supplies, ghost workers, procurement irregularities, abandoned school projects and weak oversight mechanisms.
“The corruption risk assessment is not simply an academic exercise. It is a diagnostic tool that enables institutions to identify systemic weaknesses and address them before they negatively affect service delivery and the lives of citizens,” Aliyu said.
The ICPC chairman disclosed that the Commission has continued to strengthen its own governance framework through transparent decision-making, merit-based recruitment, digitisation of processes, stronger internal audit systems, conflict-of-interest declarations and improved compliance mechanisms.
He identified digital transformation as one of the most effective tools for preventing corruption, noting that technology reduces human discretion, strengthens audit trails and improves operational efficiency.
Aliyu also emphasised that sustainable institutional reforms require ethical leadership, urging public officials to promote integrity and accountability across government institutions.
He recommended the deployment of integrated digital platforms that would enable citizens to monitor health insurance enrolment, primary healthcare services and education projects, while advocating end-to-end electronic procurement systems, stronger independent oversight, improved staff welfare and stricter sanctions against abandoned public projects.
Earlier in his remarks, Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Dr. Eze Onyekpere, said the organisation partnered with the ICPC, with support from the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, to assess the implementation of recommendations from previous corruption risk assessments.
He explained that the review focused on the NHIA, NPHCDA and UBEC with the objective of strengthening compliance with anti-corruption standards and improving the effectiveness of governance reforms at both national and sub-national levels.
Onyekpere maintained that corruption prevention requires sustained implementation of recommendations and stronger collaboration among anti-corruption agencies, regulatory institutions, civil society organisations and development partners.
He also advocated institutionalised peer reviews and continuous dialogue among public institutions to facilitate the exchange of best practices and improve governance outcomes.
Representing the European Union, Emmanuel Uche commended the ICPC for prioritising preventive anti-corruption measures, saying Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts should focus more on building systems that prevent corruption rather than relying solely on prosecution after public resources have been lost.
He described corruption risk assessments as practical roadmaps for strengthening institutional integrity and improving public sector performance, expressing confidence that the recommendations would support reforms that enhance transparency, accountability and effective service delivery.
The event attracted senior government officials, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders committed to promoting integrity, accountability and good governance in Nigeria.
