The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has identified 13 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) as “high corruption risk” in its 2025 integrity assessment, highlighting persistent gaps in compliance, governance, and accountability across Nigeria’s public sector.
The findings were published in the ethics and integrity compliance scorecard (EICS) report, which surveyed 357 MDAs. The report, released on Tuesday, uses the EICS alongside the anti-corruption and transparency units (ACTU) effectiveness index (AEI) to evaluate internal controls, organizational policies, and adherence to statutory requirements. The assessments provide benchmarks for peer comparison, government oversight, and potential investor confidence.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) led the rankings with a score of 91.83 points, followed closely by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) with 90.70, and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) with 89.93. At the opposite end, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the University of Calabar, the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) recorded zero points, marking them among the worst-performing agencies.
Speaking on the report summary, ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu, represented by Olusegun Adigun, Director of System Study and Review, revealed that no MDA achieved full compliance with the agency’s integrity benchmarks. Out of 344 assessed agencies, 48 (13.95%) showed substantial compliance, 132 (38.37%) recorded partial compliance, 141 (40.99%) demonstrated poor compliance, and 23 (6.69%) fell under non-compliance. Additionally, 13 MDAs (3.64%) were non-responsive and were categorized as high-risk.
Systemic Weaknesses Across Agencies
The report highlighted widespread deficiencies in governance frameworks. According to ICPC, 169 MDAs lack clearly defined core values, mission, and vision systems for staff awareness, while 191 have no domesticated policies on accepting gifts, donations, or hospitality—creating potential integrity risks. Strategic planning and monitoring were also lacking, with 102 MDAs reporting no strategic plans and 154 failing to conduct monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects.
Musa Aliyu pointed out that 289 MDAs do not encourage system studies or corruption risk assessments through their ACTUs, and 315 fail to leverage such assessments for decision-making. Financial management gaps were also evident: 99 MDAs lacked guidelines for staff advances, 69 did not ensure timely repayment of advances, and 68 allowed new advances without clearing previous ones. Additionally, 114 agencies failed to submit financial reports to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, 40 did not remit internally generated revenue (IGR) as required, and 75 breached fiscal responsibility provisions.
Audit and Procurement Challenges
Audit and accountability measures were notably weak. The report revealed that 41 MDAs did not carry out internal audits, 96 failed to submit audited financial statements to the Auditor-General and National Assembly within six months, and 58 did not engage external auditors through due process.
Procurement compliance was similarly concerning. Eighty-eight MDAs did not conduct annual needs assessments, 32 failed to prepare procurement plans aligned with the Public Procurement Act 2007, and 71 did not provide stakeholders with ethics and compliance guidelines. Thirty-four MDAs failed to certify ongoing projects or verify goods before payments, and 114 neglected market surveys. Moreover, procurement officers in 137 MDAs did not participate in required training from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or other accredited institutions.
The ICPC noted that 50 MDAs are currently facing petitions or investigations related to procurement and recruitment irregularities, while 21 operate without legal instruments establishing their operations and 16 lack documented operational manuals. Twenty-four agencies did not conduct annual performance appraisals, leading to irregular staff promotions.
Digitisation, Training, and Whistle-Blowing Gaps
The report also highlighted weaknesses in technology adoption and staff development. Thirty-six MDAs largely rely on manual processes, and 14 either lack official websites or have not updated them in the past six months. Training deficiencies were widespread: 144 MDAs lack annual training plans, 146 did not conduct ethics and compliance training, and 192 engaged unaccredited trainers.
Whistle-blowing mechanisms remain underdeveloped, with 241 MDAs lacking domesticated policies and 269 failing to make them accessible to staff and the public. Similarly, 94 MDAs do not have domesticated codes of conduct, while 245 operate outdated professional codes that fail to reflect current realities or outline procedures to prevent misconduct. Reward systems to encourage ethical behavior were absent in 146 MDAs or misaligned with institutional values.
The ICPC’s 2025 report underscores ongoing challenges in governance, accountability, and ethical compliance within Nigeria’s public sector, signaling urgent need for reforms to strengthen internal controls, promote transparency, and restore public trust.