Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, signalled the Commission’s readiness to pursue a strategic partnership with the Centre for Management Development (CMD) aimed at strengthening management education, professional consultancy, and institutional capacity development across Nigeria.
Dr. Aliyu made this known when he received a delegation from the CMD, led by its Director-General, Mr. Bitrus Chinoko, at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja. The visit, he said, marked a significant step towards aligning the two agencies’ mandates in the broader fight against corruption through improved professional standards and preventive education.
In his address, Mr. Chinoko underscored the urgency of a deeper institutional collaboration, particularly in regulating the sprawling management training and consultancy industry. He expressed alarm over the proliferation of unaccredited individuals and firms offering consultancy services to both public and private sector organisations, warning that such practices not only erode professional integrity but also compromise the quality of management development in Nigeria.
“We are witnessing a worrying trend where unlicensed practitioners operate with impunity, delivering substandard services that ultimately undermine organisational performance and public trust,” Mr. Chinoko stated. “We are therefore seeking the ICPC’s support to identify and address these infractions, so that only duly accredited professionals are permitted to operate in this critical sector.”
Beyond regulatory oversight, the CMD Director-General also proposed a collaborative framework for capacity building, specifically tailored to ICPC staff. He offered the Centre’s expertise in leadership development, productivity enhancement, and other specialised training areas, which he believed would bolster the Commission’s internal efficiency and operational effectiveness.
Responding on behalf of the Chairman, the ICPC Secretary, Mr. Clifford Okwudiri Oparaodu, DSSRS, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the Commission’s long-standing commitment to inter-agency cooperation. He noted that the ICPC Act empowers the Commission not only to enforce anti-corruption laws but also to educate and enlighten the public on ethical conduct and systemic integrity.
“Prevention is as vital as enforcement in our anti-corruption strategy,” Mr. Oparaodu remarked. “Our collaboration with the CMD aligns perfectly with that preventive mandate, as it targets the root causes of maladministration and professional misconduct.”
On the specific issue of unaccredited consultancy services, Dr. Aliyu assured the CMD that the ICPC would act decisively on credible intelligence and well-substantiated petitions. He urged the Centre to furnish the Commission with detailed evidence of any violations, pledging that where wrongdoing is established, the full weight of the law would be brought to bear.
Both institutions agreed to set up a joint technical committee to map out a concrete action plan, covering areas such as joint training programmes, accreditation monitoring, and public awareness campaigns. The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to deepen Nigeria’s management consultancy landscape, curb unethical practices, and foster a culture of professionalism that underpins good governance and sustainable development.