Marking the 2025 UN World Anti-Corruption Day, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has underscored a strategic shift towards empowering young Nigerians as the cornerstone of the nation’s integrity framework. This year’s theme, “Unity with Youths Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” guided the Commission’s message, which framed youth engagement not merely as participation but as an essential investment in sustainable governance.
The Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RACC) for Katsina State, Mr Samuel S. Lodam, recently outlined the pressing need for a consolidated societal effort during a phone-in programme at Vision FM Radio Katsina.
Represented by Sani Tarauni Tukur of the ICPC Media Unit, he called upon anti-corruption agencies, civil society, traditional institutions, educators, and parents to actively collaborate with the younger generation. This alliance, he argued, is vital for accelerating national development and rooting out the systemic causes of underdevelopment.
Tarauni detailed corruption’s devastating consequences, including infrastructural decay, institutional weakening, capital flight, and entrenched insecurity. He reiterated that ignorance of the law offers no defence, urging all citizens to embody personal integrity.
Central to the ICPC’s strategy are three pillars of youth engagement:
- Empowerment: Equipping young people with the ethical values and practical skills to become future leaders who inherently act with integrity.
- Advocacy: Mobilising youth to boldly confront corrupt practices and serve as powerful advocates for transparency in their communities.
- Education: Instilling principles of accountability from a formative age to foster a culture that uniformly rejects and reports corruption.
The Commission positions young Nigerians as indispensable agents for change, highlighting their critical role in responsible whistleblowing and the prompt reporting of malfeasance.
The occasion featured insights from multi-sectoral voices, including Dr. Samaila Balarabe of Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, reinforcing the message that building a corruption-free future is a collective responsibility that must begin with the youth today.