NITDA, ICPC Form Joint Task Force to Combat Corruption in Government IT Projects
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have announced the formation of a Joint Task Force on Digital Governance and Anti-Corruption to tackle the systemic corruption and fraud associated with government information technology (IT) projects.
The new task force is designed to strengthen the enforcement of the IT Project Clearance mandate and ensure that technology serves as an efficient tool for public service delivery.
The announcement was made during a high-level visit by NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi to the ICPC Headquarters.
In a press release jointly signed by Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications for NITDA, and Mrs. Anike Adeshina, Head of Media and Publicity for the ICPC Media Relations Department, stated that the collaboration aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s goal of building a $1 Trillion economy powered by digital transformation and the elimination of corruption.
The move is a direct response to a decades-long problem where billions of naira have been lost to failed or abandoned government IT projects. Many Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) have procured technological solutions without mandatory clearance, leading to duplication, inflated costs, and outright project failure.
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NITDA DG Abdullahi stressed that the IT Project Clearance process is a national safeguard designed to track government IT spending and prevent the development of projects in silos. However, non-compliance has persisted, with FPIs and contractors bypassing the process to engage in contract splitting, use of unregistered contractors, and circumvention of due process.
ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, welcomed the collaboration, noting that corruption in IT procurement undermines both public trust and economic progress. He emphasized the ICPC’s readiness to use its statutory powers to hold both contractors and public officials accountable.
The Joint Task Force will combine NITDA’s technical oversight role with the ICPC’s investigative and prosecutorial powers to enforce compliance. Its mandate includes:
* Enforcement of IT Clearance: Ensuring all FPIs obtain mandatory clearance for technology projects, with the ICPC providing enforcement against violations.
* Monitoring and Sanctioning: Jointly monitoring IT projects and sanctioning defaulting FPIs in accordance with regulations.
* Integration of Tools: Embedding NITDA’s technical monitoring instruments into ICPC’s anti-corruption frameworks, such as the System Study & Review, to institutionalize compliance.
The two leaders agreed that the Joint Task Force will serve as a model of inter-agency cooperation, ensuring that digital transformation in government is corruption-free and deliver real value to citizens.
By PRNigeria
