By Peace Udugba
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered more than ₦5.3 billion following a review of local government accounts in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Commission has also announced plans to ensure that all 774 local government areas in Nigeria publish their financial records and other governance-related information online to promote transparency and accountability.
The Chairman of ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during the flag-off of the ICPC–National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Local Government Websites Pilot.
The initiative, which commenced in Nasarawa State, is expected to be extended to all local government areas across the country.
Aliyu explained that the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment affirming the financial autonomy of local governments and the direct payment of their statutory allocations had increased the need for transparency in the management of public funds at the grassroots.
According to him, financial autonomy must go hand in hand with accountability, stressing that funds allocated directly to local governments must be managed openly and used for the benefit of residents.
He said the recovery of over ₦5.3 billion demonstrated the importance of monitoring local government accounts, adding that the proposed websites would strengthen preventive measures against corruption.
Under the initiative, councils will be required to publish information covering five major areas: financial records, including budgets, allocations, revenue, expenditure, audits and debts; open procurement; human resources; citizen engagement, including whistleblowing channels; and corruption control.
Aliyu said regular publication of such information would enable citizens to monitor public spending, empower the media to ask informed questions and help oversight institutions identify potential financial irregularities before they result in losses.
The Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, CON, formally flagged off the initiative at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Lafia.
The event was themed, “Deepening Transparency and Accountability at the Grassroots through Digital Disclosure.”
The Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Dr. Shuaibu Magaji Labaran, SAN, delivered the welcome address.
Aliyu said Nasarawa was selected as the pilot state in recognition of Governor Sule’s commitment to good governance and the support the state had consistently provided to the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, ICPC’s training institution located in Keffi.
He also acknowledged NITDA’s commitment to registering domain names, developing and hosting websites for all 774 local government areas for at least one year.
He explained that while ICPC would provide the content standards and accountability framework, NITDA would provide the technology and digital platform.
The ICPC chairman, however, urged local government chairmen to take ownership of the websites by appointing dedicated officers to ensure that information published on the platforms remained accurate and regularly updated.
He assured the councils that the Commission’s engagement was intended to promote corruption prevention rather than witch-hunting, adding that lessons from the Nasarawa pilot would guide improvements before the nationwide rollout.
In his goodwill message, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, said the initiative was designed to bridge the digital gap between government and citizens, particularly those living in remote communities.
He illustrated the challenges faced by residents who sometimes travel long distances to obtain information about government projects or lodge complaints with their local councils.
“We are in a digital age. Our people are online; therefore, government needs to be online to serve them better,” he said.
Abdullahi identified improved governance, enhanced citizen engagement and expanded economic opportunities as the three major objectives of the initiative.
He added that NITDA would establish standards, develop website templates and train citizens, while encouraging local governments to engage local talents in building and maintaining the platforms.
He stressed that the project’s ambition went beyond creating 774 websites, noting that the ultimate goal was to establish digitally empowered local governments capable of delivering better services to millions of Nigerians.
Flagging off the pilot, Governor Sule named the Nasarawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NASITDEA) as the state’s technical partner for the initiative.
He directed local government councils to take responsibility for the accuracy of information published on their websites and ensure regular updates through designated officers.
The governor said the success of the project would not be determined by its launch but by whether citizens could easily access relevant information, whether such information remained current and whether people actively used the platforms.
He also maintained that with local government allocations disclosed as they were received, councils could no longer blame delayed federal allocations for their inability to pay workers’ salaries.
Sule further challenged ICPC and NITDA to extend the transparency initiative to state governments, offering Nasarawa State as the first to embrace the proposed disclosure arrangement.
According to him, such disclosure would enable citizens to understand how funds meant for local governments were being handled and identify where possible delays occurred.
The Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad I (rtd.), expressed satisfaction with the initiative and commended ICPC, NITDA and the Nasarawa State Government for their commitment to strengthening transparency at the grassroots.
Similarly, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Danladi Jatau, pledged the Assembly’s support for the programme.
Jatau recalled that the Constitution empowered the House to oversee local government finances and commended Governor Sule for his openness regarding federal allocations.
The flag-off ceremony was followed by a technical session on the standardised website template designed for the local government councils.
Aliyu reaffirmed ICPC’s commitment to working with the Nasarawa State Government, NITDA, local government councils and other stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the initiative and strengthen transparency and accountability across the grassroots.
