The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and State Commissioners of Information from the 36 states of the Federation have jointly reaffirmed that the fight against corruption cannot be left to government institutions alone but must actively involve citizens through trust-building and strategic communication.
This was the key outcome of a One-Day Roundtable Engagement held in Abuja on Sunday, marking a new phase in Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive focused on embedding transparency, accountability, and good governance at the state and local government levels.
Both parties pledged to strengthen collaboration by institutionalizing anti-corruption compliance systems, fostering transparency, and entrenching accountability in governance structures nationwide.
The engagement, themed “Partnership for Strengthening Transparency and Accountability at the State and Local Government Levels through Strategic Communication,” culminated in the issuance of a communique jointly signed by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, and the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar.
Declaring the event open as Special Guest of Honour, the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, commended the initiative, stressing that effective communication is central to winning the battle against corruption.
Dignitaries present included Senator Emmanuel Udende, Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; Hon. Prince Kayode Moshood Akiola, Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption; Prof. Usman Tar, Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security; Dr. Mohammed Bulama, Director-General of the 4 Radio Corporation of Nigeria; representatives of the Directors-General of the National Orientation Agency and Voice of Nigeria; and Mr. Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication.
In his welcome address, ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, underscored the strategic role of Commissioners of Information in shaping public discourse and mobilizing citizens to reject corruption. He said Commissioners, working in synergy with ICPC, could help “cascade ethical reorientation messages to the grassroots where governance has the most impact.”
The keynote address was delivered by Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu of Bayero University, Kano, who emphasized the transformative power of deliberate and sustained communication in governance.
The communique acknowledged that corruption remains one of Nigeria’s gravest challenges, particularly at the subnational level, where resource leakages directly undermine grassroots development. It stressed that while access to information is vital, deliberate and consistent strategic communication remains the most effective tool to build trust, legitimacy, and collective action against corruption.
Participants resolved to:
”Sustain lasting collaboration and improve synergy between ICPC and State Commissioners of Information in carrying anti-corruption messages to states and local government councils through state-owned media.
”Implement deliberate and sustained communication strategies to build public trust, drive collective action, and embed anti-corruption messages in government information management systems.
”Sensitize and mobilize citizens to demand accountability, report corrupt practices, and actively participate in governance.
”Build the capacity of state and local government officials in strategic communication and transparency tools.
”Promote ethical reorientation in governance, schools, and communities to entrench integrity as a shared culture.
”Partner with the media and civil society to amplify anti-corruption efforts, provide independent assessments, and jointly organize advocacy campaigns targeting schools, MDAs, and grassroots communities.
”Translate ICPC’s information, education, and communication (IEC) materials into local languages for wider dissemination, and make public media platforms available for anti-corruption programmes.
”Establish dedicated communication platforms, including WhatsApp groups, to ensure constant engagement between ICPC and State Commissioners of Information.”
The Roundtable concluded by reaffirming that the fight against corruption requires not only institutional mechanisms but also citizens’ active participation, trust, and sustained communication.
The strategic partnership between ICPC and State Commissioners of Information was hailed as a decisive step towards deepening transparency, accountability, and good governance across Nigeria.