….. Tackle Corruption In Government ICT Investments
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have established a Joint Task Force on Digital Governance and Anti-Corruption to strengthen compliance in government IT projects and curb corruption in public sector ICT investments.
According to a joint press release signed by the Director, Corporate Communications, NITDA, Mrs Hadiza Umar and Head, Media and Publicity, ICPC, Dr [Mrs] Anike Adeshina, the initiative was announced at the ICPC Headquarters in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, to the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN. The collaboration aims to align both agencies’ mandates with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his vision of building a $1 trillion economy through digital transformation, improved ease of doing business, and the elimination of corruption.
Over the years, billions of naira have been lost to failed or abandoned government IT projects, many of which were initiated without mandatory clearance from NITDA. Such projects have been marred by duplication, inflated costs, poor technical standards, and in some cases, outright abandonment. This trend has eroded public trust in the government’s digitalisation efforts and opened loopholes for corruption through contract splitting, the use of unregistered contractors, and other sharp practices.
The newly established Task Force will serve as an enforcement mechanism, combining NITDA’s technical oversight role with ICPC’s investigative and prosecutorial powers. Its mandate includes:
* Enforcement of IT Project Clearance: Ensuring Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) secure mandatory clearance before commencing any IT projects.
* Monitoring and Sanctions: Joint oversight of ICT projects and sanctioning defaulting agencies in line with extant regulations.
* Integration of Enforcement Tools: Embedding NITDA’s monitoring mechanisms into ICPC’s anti-corruption frameworks such as the System Study & Review and the Ethics & Integrity Scorecard.
Speaking at the event, NITDA DG Kashifu Inuwa emphasized that IT Project Clearance remains a national safeguard to track government spending in ICT, prevent duplication, and ensure value-for-money investments. He noted that the process aligns IT projects with national standards and global best practices to foster a unified digital government.
On his part, ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Aliyu welcomed the partnership, stressing that corruption in IT procurement undermines public trust and economic growth. He assured that the Commission would deploy its statutory powers to hold contractors and public officials accountable while supporting NITDA’s regulatory mandate.
Both leaders agreed that the Task Force would serve as a model for inter-agency collaboration, ensuring that Nigeria’s digital transformation is transparent, efficient, and consistent with national development priorities.
The establishment of the Joint Task Force marks a decisive step toward addressing systemic corruption in government ICT investments and ensuring that digital transformation delivers tangible benefits to Nigerian citizens.
