The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged heads of tertiary institutions across the country to strengthen internal controls, tackle corruption risks and ensure prudent management of funds allocated through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, gave the charge on Monday while declaring open a two-day Organisational Integrity Management Capacity-Building Programme for officials of TETFund beneficiary institutions in Abuja.
The programme was organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training and research arm of ICPC, with support from TETFund.
Aliyu warned that weak procurement practices, poor project supervision, ineffective internal controls, conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement could undermine investments in the nation’s tertiary education sector.
He stressed that increased funding alone would not guarantee improved educational outcomes without transparency, accountability and responsible management of public resources.
“Integrity must not exist merely in policy documents or institutional mission statements. It must be reflected in everyday decisions, administrative processes, and the management of public resources,” he said.
The ICPC chairman urged institutional leaders to uphold ethical standards, enforce established administrative procedures and create effective channels through which staff and other stakeholders could report misconduct without fear of victimisation.
He further called on participating institutions to institutionalise corruption risk assessments, strengthen financial documentation, ensure proper segregation of duties, independently verify projects and improve mechanisms for reporting and responding to misconduct.
Aliyu also urged the institutions to develop specific integrity measures, appoint responsible officers, establish implementation timelines and introduce measurable indicators to monitor progress.
According to him, the effectiveness of the programme would be determined by the practical reforms introduced in the participating institutions rather than attendance or participation.
“The success of this initiative should be measured not merely by attendance or participation, but by the improvements introduced in your respective institutions,” he stated.
He reaffirmed ICPC’s commitment to preventing corruption through System Study and Review, Corruption Risk Assessment, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard and capacity-building initiatives facilitated by ACAN.
In his remarks, the Provost of ACAN, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said integrity management in tertiary institutions must involve not only institutional leaders but also academic and non-academic staff as well as students.
He identified honesty, accountability and fairness as critical values required to build public trust and sustain ethical standards in the education sector.
Ibrahim urged tertiary institutions to collaborate with ICPC in tackling various forms of corruption and misconduct, including administrative corruption, embezzlement, examination malpractice, sale of marks, sexual harassment and the existence of ghost workers.
He commended TETFund for supporting the initiative, describing it as an important opportunity to strengthen governance and promote integrity in the education sector.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, represented by the Director of Human Resources and General Administration, Dr Kolapo Okunlola, maintained that funding alone could not guarantee meaningful results without accountable leadership, effective implementation and strict adherence to established standards.
He urged heads of beneficiary institutions to comply with procurement laws, financial regulations and TETFund guidelines while taking responsibility for project delivery and protecting individuals who report wrongdoing.
Echono reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to transparency and accountability, urging participants to identify institutional weaknesses and apply the knowledge gained from the programme to improve governance in their respective institutions.
He added that the impact of TETFund interventions should be measured not only by the funds disbursed but also by the integrity with which they are managed and the improvements achieved in educational infrastructure, research and learning.
The programme is aimed at strengthening institutional integrity and ensuring that public investments in tertiary education translate into improved facilities and quality education.
