By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged heads of tertiary institutions across the country to strengthen internal control mechanisms, address corruption risks and promote transparency and accountability in the management of funds allocated to them by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
The Commission said effective management of public resources, strict adherence to procurement regulations and proper supervision of projects were essential to ensuring that TETFund interventions achieved their intended objectives and delivered value for money.
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 the ICPC, with support from TETFund, as part of efforts to strengthen institutional integrity and improve governance in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Dr Aliyu expressed concern that weaknesses in procurement procedures, inadequate project supervision, ineffective internal controls, conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement could undermine investments in the education sector if not properly addressed.
He stressed that the availability of funding alone was not enough to guarantee successful implementation of projects, noting that beneficiary institutions must demonstrate transparency, accountability and responsible leadership in the utilisation of resources entrusted to them.
According to him, integrity should go beyond institutional policies and official declarations to become an integral part of everyday administrative decisions, professional conduct and the management of public funds.
“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 stated.
The ICPC chairman urged heads of institutions to lead by example through ethical conduct, enforcement of established procedures and the creation of appropriate channels through which staff and other stakeholders could report misconduct without fear of intimidation or retaliation.
He further called on participating institutions to institutionalise corruption risk assessments, improve record-keeping and documentation, strengthen the segregation of duties and ensure independent verification of projects executed with public funds.
Dr Aliyu also emphasised the need for institutions to improve their reporting and response mechanisms, stressing that identified weaknesses must be addressed through practical measures rather than being allowed to persist.
He challenged the participants to develop specific institutional integrity measures, appoint responsible officers to coordinate implementation, establish realistic timelines and introduce measurable indicators for assessing progress.
“The success of this initiative should be measured not merely by attendance or participation, but by the improvements introduced in your respective institutions,” he said.
The ICPC chairman reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting corruption prevention through institutional reforms, including System Study and Review, Corruption Risk Assessment, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard and capacity-building programmes implemented through the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria.
He explained that these preventive interventions were designed to identify institutional weaknesses, strengthen administrative processes and reduce opportunities for corruption before they develop into major challenges.
In his remarks, the Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said the promotion of integrity in tertiary institutions should not be restricted to management and governing authorities but must involve academic staff, non-academic personnel and students.
He identified honesty, accountability and fairness as fundamental values required to build public trust, promote responsible institutional administration and sustain ethical standards within the education system.
Professor Ibrahim noted that corruption prevention in the education sector required a collective commitment by all members of the academic community, adding that institutions must create environments where ethical behaviour is encouraged and misconduct is appropriately addressed.
He urged tertiary institutions to strengthen their collaboration with the ICPC in tackling various forms of corruption and administrative misconduct, including embezzlement, examination malpractice, the monetisation of marks, sexual harassment and the existence of ghost workers on institutional payrolls.
The ACAN Provost commended TETFund for supporting the capacity-building programme, describing the initiative as an important opportunity to improve governance, strengthen institutional integrity and promote responsible management of resources in the tertiary education sector.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, PhD, represented by the Director of Human Resources and General Administration, Dr Kolapo Okunlola, stressed that financial support to tertiary institutions could only produce meaningful results when backed by accountable leadership, effective implementation and strict compliance with established standards.
He urged institutional leaders to ensure full compliance with procurement laws, financial regulations and TETFund operational guidelines, while taking responsibility for the quality and timely delivery of projects executed with the Fund’s interventions.
Echono also emphasised the importance of protecting individuals who report wrongdoing, noting that institutions must establish mechanisms that encourage the disclosure of misconduct and promote accountability.
He reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to transparency and responsible management of public resources, urging participants to use the training programme to identify institutional vulnerabilities and develop practical solutions to address them.
According to him, the impact of TETFund interventions should not be measured solely by the amount of money released or the number of projects undertaken, but also by the integrity with which the funds are managed and the tangible improvements delivered in educational infrastructure, research and the overall learning environment.
The TETFund Executive Secretary called on participants to translate the knowledge acquired during the programme into practical institutional reforms capable of strengthening financial management, improving project execution and protecting public investments in higher education.
The two-day capacity-building programme underscores the importance of collaboration between anti-corruption institutions and tertiary education funding agencies in promoting transparency, accountability and ethical leadership.
It is also expected to equip officials of beneficiary institutions with the knowledge and practical tools required to identify corruption vulnerabilities, strengthen internal governance structures and ensure that public resources allocated to the education sector are utilised for their intended purposes.
The ICPC maintained that protecting TETFund interventions requires a sustained commitment to institutional integrity, effective oversight and responsible management, stressing that the ultimate objective is to ensure that investments in tertiary education translate into improved infrastructure, quality research and better learning outcomes for Nigerians.
The statement was issued by J. Okor Odey, Head of Media and Public Communications, ICPC, on Monday, November 2, 2026.
