Most federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) failed key ethics and compliance standards in the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission’s (ICPC) 2025 assessment, with several agencies, including the Supreme Court, scoring zero.
The findings were revealed on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja by ICPC chairperson, Musa Aliyu, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The results were drawn from the commission’s 2025 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) and the ACTU Effectiveness Index (AEI), which assess adherence to ethical standards and the effectiveness of internal control mechanisms across federal MDAs.
Key findings
No MDA achieved full compliance in the 2025 assessment. Out of 344 MDAs evaluated, 48 demonstrated substantial compliance, 132 recorded partial compliance, 141 showed poor compliance, 23 were outright non-compliant, and 13 failed to respond, earning a high-risk classification.
The assessment also exposed significant governance and administrative gaps across the public sector. A total of 169 MDAs lacked clearly defined core values, mission, and vision to guide their staff, while 191 had no policies regulating the acceptance of gifts, donations, or hospitality.
One hundred and two MDAs operated without strategic plans, and 154 did not monitor or evaluate their activities.
Furthermore, 289 MDAs failed to address corruption risk assessments, and 315 did not incorporate these assessments into their decision-making processes.
The report stated that financial accountability also suffered, as 114 MDAs did not submit financial reports and 96 failed to provide timely audited accounts. Whistleblowing frameworks remained weak, with 241 MDAs lacking functional policies and 269 maintaining inaccessible policies.
The ACTU Effectiveness Index, which measures the performance of internal control units, revealed that only 33 ACTUs were very effective, 83 were effective, 142 were ineffective, and 10 remained dormant. Alarmingly, 89 MDAs had no ACTU at all, constituting a direct breach of national anti-corruption standards.
Implications
Mr Aliyu warned that weak administrative systems, ineffective internal control units, and poor whistleblowing frameworks undermine transparency and expose MDAs to financial mismanagement, procurement distortions, and project failures.
“The widespread weaknesses in administrative and ethical systems highlight the urgent need for stronger leadership and more effective internal controls. Such outcomes fall below acceptable public service standards and are entirely unacceptable,” he said.
Background
The Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, launched in 2015 and fully institutionalised in 2019, monitors ethics, compliance, and integrity across Nigeria’s public sector. The ACTU Effectiveness Index complements the EICS by evaluating internal control units.
Last year, Nigeria’s Supreme Court and 14 other agencies failed the 2024 assessment, reflecting ongoing concerns about corruption and operational irregularities.
Retiring Supreme Court Justice Dattijo Muhammad criticised the judiciary’s handling of funds in his October 2024 valedictory remarks, while Justice Ejembi Eko urged anti-graft agencies to scrutinize financial records.
The 15 agencies that scored zero per cent in the 2024 assessment included the Supreme Court, Nigeria Press Council (NPC), Legal Aid Council (LAC), National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), and Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON).
READ ALSO: Court issues ICPC orders for final forfeiture of Goodluck Jonathan Estate land in Abuja
The rest are Federal Teaching Hospital (Gombe), National Obstetrics Fistula Centre (Ningi, Bauchi State), Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies (Jos), Federal University of Agriculture (Umudike, Abia State), Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation (Mando, Kaduna State), Obafemi Awolowo University (Ile-Ife, Osun State), Federal Polytechnic (Ede, Osun State), and University of Ibadan (Oyo State).
High-performing agencies
Top-performing agencies included the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB, 89.75 per cent), Nigerian Railway Corporation with 88.73 per cent, and Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc with 88.73 per cent.
The then ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare said while the commission enforces penalties for non-compliance, its primary aim is to help agencies improve internal systems.
“Our approach is to support MDAs in aligning with ethical standards. But if they fail after due process, we will pursue legal action,” he said. “The Supreme Court, flagged for non-responsiveness, will be closely monitored.”
The ICPC also plans to launch sectoral rankings of government agencies, including corruption risk assessments, to identify high-risk institutions and guide them toward better compliance.
“We are taking a proactive approach by assessing corruption risks and enforcing accountability. These rankings will help prioritise reforms across the public sector,” Mr Bakare added.
