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 oversight of government IT projects and curb corruption in the public sector’s technology investments.
The initiative was unveiled at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja during a courtesy visit by NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, to the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN. Both agencies said the move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly his vision of building a $1 trillion digital-driven economy while eliminating corruption as a barrier to growth.
Over the years, billions of Naira have been lost to abandoned or failed government IT projects, often marred by duplication, inflated costs, poor standards, and outright fraud. Many of these projects, some worth billions individually, either failed to deliver value to citizens or became conduits for corruption through contract splitting, the use of unregistered contractors, and the circumvention of due process.
According to a statement jointly signed by Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications & Relations at NITDA, andDr. (Mrs.) Anike Adeshina, Head of Media and Publicity at ICPC, the new Joint Task Force is expected to serve as a robust enforcement mechanism, combining NITDA’s technical mandate with ICPC’s investigative and prosecutorial powers. Its core functions will include:
- Enforcing IT Project Clearance: Ensuring that Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) secure mandatory approval before initiating technology projects, with ICPC stepping in where violations occur.
- Monitoring and Sanctioning: Conducting joint oversight of IT projects and sanctioning defaulting agencies in line with existing regulations.
- Embedding Compliance Tools: Integrating NITDA’s monitoring instruments into ICPC’s frameworks, such as the System Study & Review and the Ethics & Integrity Scorecard.
Speaking at the event, NITDA DG Abdullahi described IT Project Clearance as a national safeguard against waste and inefficiency. He said the regulation ensures IT initiatives are properly conceptualised, interoperable, and deliver value for money, thereby preventing fragmented investments and duplication across government agencies.
On his part, ICPC Chairman Aliyu stressed that corruption in IT procurement undermines both governance and economic development. He reaffirmed ICPC’s readiness to hold defaulting contractors and public officials accountable, noting that the partnership would help restore integrity and transparency in the government’s digital transformation efforts.
Both leaders emphasized that the Joint Task Force embodies a model of inter-agency collaboration and represents a decisive step in ensuring that Nigeria’s digital economy is efficient, transparent, and globally competitive.
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