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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has expressed concern over the lack of ethical standards in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government.
This observation was made during the official launch of the 2025 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) and the ACTU Effectiveness Index (AEI) across Federal Government MDAs.
The ICPC presented the scorecard at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Commission reported that no MDA achieved complete ethical compliance, noting that out of the 344 MDAs assessed, only 48 demonstrated significant compliance.
According to the report, “132 MDAs (38.37%) exhibited partial compliance, while 141 MDAs (40.99%) showed poor compliance. Additionally, 23 MDAs (6.69%) were categorized as non-compliant. Furthermore, 13 MDAs (3.64%) from the total of 357 assessed were non-responsive and classified as high-risk MDAs.
“169 MDAs lack core values, mission, and vision systems for their staff's understanding, and 191 MDAs do not have established policies regarding the acceptance of gifts, donations, hospitality, etc., which may raise integrity concerns.
“MDAs are expected to have a policy to guide their employees. However, 102 MDAs do not have a strategic plan, 154 MDAs lack a monitoring system, and did not conduct monitoring and evaluation of their activities, programs, and projects for the reviewed year.
“289 MDAs did not promote System Studies/Corruption Risk Assessments by the ACTU, while 315 MDAs utilized the outcomes of these assessments for decision-making.
“99 MDAs lack guidelines for granting advances to staff, 69 MDAs do not retire advances promptly, and 68 MDAs do not ensure that personnel retire advances before being granted new ones.
“114 MDAs failed to submit financial reports to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) for the reviewed year. Additionally, 40 MDAs did not comply with the requirement to remit Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as mandated, and 75 MDAs did not adhere to fiscal responsibility provisions.
“41 MDAs neglected to conduct internal audit activities as required, while 96 MDAs did not submit their annual audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation and the National Assembly within the first six months of the subsequent year for the reviewed period, including the past three years. Moreover, 58 MDAs do not have external auditors engaged through proper processes.
“88 MDAs failed to conduct an annual needs assessment in preparation for procurement, and 32 MDAs lack an annual procurement plan in compliance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and their approved annual budget.
“71 MDAs did not provide external partners and stakeholders with their Principles of Ethics and Compliance, including applicable sanctions clauses. Additionally, these MDAs failed to give the required minimum notice period of one week for stakeholders invited to attend and observe their procurement processes.
“34 MDAs did not perform performance certification for ongoing projects and did not verify goods supplied before granting payment approvals. Furthermore, 114 MDAs did not conduct market surveys during the reviewed year.
“In 137 MDAs, procurement officers did not participate in any training by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or other training programs on procurement processes in the reviewed year. 114 MDAs did not conduct market surveys in that period.
“50 MDAs are currently facing petitions or ongoing investigations by the ICPC regarding infractions or non-compliance with procurement and recruitment processes.
“21 MDAs lack legal instruments that establish their organization, and 16 MDAs operate without documents (operational manuals) outlining and explaining their policies and operations. Additionally, 24 MDAs do not conduct annual performance reviews and appraisals, leading to irregular staff promotions.
“In 36 MDAs, most operational records remain non-computerized, relying heavily on manual processes. Moreover, 14 MDAs either do not have an official website or have websites that have not been updated in the last six months.
“144 MDAs do not have an annual training plan; 146 MDAs did not conduct capacity training for management and staff on ethics and compliance, and in 192 MDAs, the training consultants or firms are not duly accredited by the relevant agencies or regulatory bodies. Furthermore, 241 MDAs do not have a domesticated Whistle-blower Policy in place, while 269 MDAs have whistleblowing policies that are not accessible.
“94 MDAs lack domesticated codes of conduct, while 245 MDAs have professional codes that are not regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes and realities. Some codes do not specify procedures to prevent, investigate, and address non-compliance.
“A total of 146 MDAs do not have a reward system to encourage ethical behavior and compliance with established rules and procedures. In some instances, existing reward systems are neither transparent nor aligned with the organization’s core values.
“Regarding the ACTU Effectiveness Index (AEI), 33 ACTUs (12.31%) were rated as ‘Very Effective,’ 83 ACTUs (30.97%) as ‘Effective,’ 142 ACTUs (52.99%) as ‘Ineffective,’ and 10 ACTUs (3.73%) as ‘Dormant.’
“Additionally, 89 MDAs (24.93%) from the total number where the AEI was deployed did not establish ACTUs, indicating a breach of compliance with the National Anti-Corruption framework.”
ICPC stated that while some improvements have been noted, particularly in financial management, several MDAs still lack the essential systems, structures, and capacities necessary to effectively combat corruption.
“Weak administrative systems, inadequate whistleblowing frameworks, insufficient training, and underperforming ACTUs collectively hinder the public sector’s ability to operate transparently and efficiently.”
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What is the ICPC's recent report about?
The ICPC's recent report highlights the lack of ethical compliance among Federal Government MDAs, revealing that no MDA
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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