The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have pledged to strengthen collaboration in ensuring compliance with guidelines for the clearance of Information Technology (IT) projects undertaken by federal government institutions in Nigeria.
This commitment was made known when the Chairman of ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, received the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his management team during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
In his remarks, Dr. Aliyu recalled the cordial relationship that has existed between the two agencies, assuring that the Commission would continue to provide maximum support within its mandate to promote safer digital services in government agencies as championed by NITDA.
“ICPC and NITDA have been working together for a long time. In fact, when I assumed office as Chairman, the first agency I visited was NITDA because I believed ICPC needed digital transformation, and NITDA was the best place to seek support. Since then, we have implemented most of the things we discussed, while striving to comply with extant ICT rules,” Dr. Aliyu noted.
He commended NITDA’s initiative, which seeks to ensure that IT systems in government agencies serve their intended purpose by providing safe and reliable digital services in line with established rules.
“In today’s world, it is impossible to discharge services effectively, whether in the public or private sector, without a functional and secure digital environment. NITDA remains the best place for public agencies to resolve their IT challenges,” he added.
Dr. Aliyu further assured the NITDA team that ICPC would support the enforcement of relevant rules and standards that guarantee safer digital services in government institutions, noting that the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) encourages inter-agency collaboration in tackling corruption.
In his remarks, NITDA’s DG, Mr. Abdullahi, explained that his visit was to seek ICPC’s support in ensuring government institutions comply with established guidelines for IT investments.
He highlighted NITDA’s ongoing initiatives, including the One Government Digital Services policy, certification of IT system builders, and quality assurance processes to ensure that IT systems in government establishments meet required specifications.
“We want the ICPC to support us in enforcement. We know that one of the mandates of the Commission is to ensure that ethical practices are upheld,” Mr. Abdullahi emphasised.
The DG also disclosed that NITDA plans to collaborate with ICPC in developing websites for all local government areas across the country as part of efforts to promote digital transparency and accountability in grassroots governance.
At the end of the meeting, the two agencies agreed to establish a joint committee to develop a workable framework that will guide their collaboration and ensure concrete results.