Transparency Index: ICPC Chairman Vows to Deepen Reforms After 80.13% Rating

Transparency Index: ICPC Chairman Vows to Deepen Reforms After 80.13% Rating

By Raphael Ekpang

Abuja (Core Reporters) – The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has risen to second position among 518 federal institutions assessed in the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII), scoring 80.13 per cent to secure an “Excellent” rating.

The assessment, conducted by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), placed ICPC among only four federal institutions that attained the Index’s “Excellent” performance band of 70 per cent and above.

The latest rating represents an improvement on the Commission’s 2025 performance, when it scored 78.13 per cent and ranked third among 575 institutions assessed.

Reacting to the result, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) said the rating would encourage the Commission to deepen its institutional reforms and transparency measures.

“I am delighted that the progress we are making as a Commission is being independently recognised. For an anti-corruption agency, we understand that we must not only demand transparency, accountability and integrity from other public institutions; we must also demonstrate these values in our own systems and operations,” Aliyu said.

The chairman, however, said the Commission would not become complacent, stressing the need to improve its performance across all the thematic areas covered by the Index.

“This rating is an encouragement for us to do more. We will carefully examine our performance across all the thematic areas, identify where improvements are required and strengthen the necessary systems,” he said.

Aliyu said the Commission’s objective was to perform better in the 2027 assessment while continuing to uphold high standards of transparency, accountability and integrity in its operations.

He also commended the management and staff of the Commission for their contributions to the achievement, urging them to regard the rating as an incentive to further strengthen professionalism and accountability in the discharge of ICPC’s mandate.

The 2026 assessment showed generally low transparency ratings across the federal public sector, with only eight of the 518 institutions assessed scoring above 50 per cent, while just four attained the “Excellent” benchmark of 70 per cent and above.

The Transparency and Integrity Index evaluates public institutions across areas including disclosure of financial information, procurement and contracting, human resources, anti-corruption measures and citizens’ engagement.

It also assesses the availability of budget and financial records, recruitment and staff information, whistleblowing and anti-corruption policies, as well as mechanisms through which citizens can access information and participate in public processes.

ICPC’s latest performance continues its upward trajectory in the annual assessment. In 2025, the Commission scored 78.13 per cent to place third behind the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).

In 2026, the Commission improved its score by two percentage points to 80.13 per cent, moving from third to second position nationally.

The result further underscores the Commission’s position that anti-corruption institutions must lead by example by strengthening internal systems that promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct.

The 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index was unveiled in Abuja on Monday, September 28, 2026, in the presence of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi; and representatives of government institutions and civil society organisations.

CeFTPI established the Transparency and Integrity Index in 2021 as an annual evidence-based assessment of public institutions, with emphasis on proactive disclosure, accountability, citizens’ access to information and institutional mechanisms for preventing corruption.