IN a bold step to deepen transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s digital sector, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have jointly inaugurated a Task Force on Digital Governance and Anti-Corruption, aimed at tackling corruption and enforcing compliance in government information technology (IT) projects.
News Point Nigeria reports that the Joint Task Force was formally launched during a high-level meeting between NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the inauguration, Abdullahi described the collaboration as a milestone in Nigeria’s anti-corruption and digital transformation journey, noting that it aligns directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the initiative reflects the administration’s drive to build a $1 trillion digital economy powered by transparency, innovation, and accountability.
“The task force represents our collective commitment to stop the leakages, restore confidence, and ensure that every naira invested in technology yields measurable value for Nigerians,” Abdullahi said.
He lamented that billions of naira have been lost over the years to failed or abandoned IT projects, largely due to non-compliance with the IT Project Clearance policy, a mandatory process for all Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) before embarking on technology procurements.
“These lapses have eroded public trust and wasted scarce resources that could have been used to improve service delivery and transparency,” he stated, according to a press release signed by NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications, Hajiya Hadiza Umar.
Under the new arrangement, the Joint Task Force will merge NITDA’s technical oversight with ICPC’s investigative and prosecutorial authority to curb corruption, duplication, and inefficiency in ICT-related procurements.
Its key mandates include:
Enforcing IT Project Clearance: Ensuring all federal institutions obtain NITDA’s clearance before commencing any IT-related project, with ICPC enforcing compliance where violations occur.
Monitoring and Sanctions: Jointly tracking the implementation of IT projects and sanctioning defaulting agencies under relevant laws.
Integration of Oversight Tools: Embedding NITDA’s monitoring mechanisms into ICPC’s existing anti-corruption frameworks such as the System Study & Review and Ethics & Integrity Scorecard.
Abdullahi stressed that the IT Project Clearance Regulation is a national safeguard against waste, duplication, and fraud.
“It ensures that projects are conceptualized and executed in line with global best practices, promote interoperability, and deliver value for money,” he explained.
In his remarks, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), praised the collaboration as both timely and strategic, describing it as a crucial pillar in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against corruption and poor governance.
“Corruption in IT procurement undermines both public trust and economic progress,” Dr. Aliyu said.
“The Commission will deploy its full statutory powers to ensure that contractors and public officials who abuse the process are held accountable.”
He added that the joint task force would help bridge the gap between policy and enforcement, ensuring that digital governance frameworks are implemented faithfully and transparently.
Both agencies reaffirmed their joint commitment to transparency, with Abdullahi concluding: “We are not only building systems; we are building trust. Nigeria’s digital transformation must be rooted in integrity, efficiency, and the rule of law.”