The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have launched a Joint Task Force on Digital Governance and Anti-Corruption to curb corruption in IT-related government projects nationwide.
The initiative was announced at the ICPC Headquarters in Abuja during a high-level working visit by the NITDA management team led by its Director General, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, according to a statement by NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications, Hajiya Hadiza Umar.
The task force is designed to identify and mitigate corruption risks in government IT projects, strengthen enforcement, and promote the use of technology as a tool for efficient service delivery.
Abdullahi also revealed plans to build functional websites for all 774 local government councils across Nigeria to enhance transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement at the grassroots level.
He lamented that only 10 local governments currently operate functional websites, describing the situation as unacceptable in a digital age.
‘The absence of digital footprints at the local level slows service delivery and creates distrust between citizens and government,’ Abdullahi said.
He added that between 2017 and 2023, NITDA cleared over 1,480 IT projects worth more than N3.4 trillion across 326 federal institutions-saving the government over N316 billion through improved oversight and alignment with national digital policies.
Despite this progress, Abdullahi noted that only about 28 percent of federal institutions currently comply with the IT project clearance process.
To address this, NITDA plans to introduce new guidelines, including certification for IT designers and implementers, to ensure projects are secure, interoperable, and efficient.
Responding, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, commended the partnership, stressing that corruption in IT procurement undermines public trust and economic growth.
‘Local governments are the closest tier of government to the people. A lack of digital visibility raises serious accountability concerns. Once councils publish their budgets, projects, and activities online, citizens can track them, which alone will discourage misconduct,’ he said.