The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to formalising a strategic partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSE) as part of efforts to strengthen advocacy, prevent corruption and support the reintegration of millions of vulnerable children into Nigeria’s education system.
According to a statement by the Spokesperson for the Commission, J. Okor Odey, the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, gave the assurance when he received the Executive Secretary of NCAOOSE, Mohammed Sani Idris, and his delegation during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Aliyu described NCAOOSE as a critical institution in safeguarding Nigeria’s future, stressing that addressing the out-of-school children crisis is fundamental to national survival and leadership continuity. Drawing from his experience as Attorney-General in Jigawa State, he noted that keeping children in school remains a challenging but indispensable responsibility.
“The issues raised are not merely administrative; they are fundamental to the preservation of our nation’s future leadership,” he said, warning that young persons must not be burdened with responsibilities beyond their years and should remain under responsible parental guidance while receiving quality education.
To translate commitment into action, the ICPC chairman proposed the swift finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both agencies.
According to him, the MoU would provide a structured framework for collaboration, enabling the ICPC to deploy key anti-corruption tools, including Corruption Risk Assessments, to block financial leakages and strengthen transparency within NCAOOSE’s intervention programmes.
He also highlighted the role of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria in driving behavioural change and building integrity capacity, adding that the Commission would leverage its training and public education initiatives to support NCAOOSE in delivering its mandate effectively.
Aliyu subsequently directed the Commission’s Public Education, External Cooperation and Academy departments to engage immediately with their counterparts in NCAOOSE to identify areas of synergy and advance the proposed partnership.
Earlier, Idris painted a grim picture of the out-of-school crisis, citing UNICEF statistics that put the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria at over 18.3 million. He said Almajiri and other vulnerable children are not only deprived of education but are also exposed to risks such as sexual abuse, medical neglect and other social dangers.
He lamented what he described as growing parental neglect, noting that street begging and child abandonment contradict moral and religious teachings. Idris argued that a strong partnership with the ICPC is crucial to addressing corruption-related factors that worsen the education gap, particularly in advocacy and resource allocation.
The NCAOOSE boss was also candid about the operational challenges facing the Commission. Despite running about 200 learning centres and identifying more than 700,000 out-of-school children for intervention, he said the agency remains hamstrung by inadequate funding, limited office infrastructure and insufficient operational vehicles.
To scale its impact and meet the enormity of the challenge, Idris stressed that increased financial support is non-negotiable. He appealed to the ICPC chairman to use his office to advocate improved budgetary allocations for NCAOOSE from relevant funding authorities.
The meeting ended with both agencies pledging sustained collaboration aimed at promoting transparency, protecting vulnerable children and addressing the systemic drivers of Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
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