The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged heads of tertiary institutions across the country to strengthen internal controls, tackle corruption risks and ensure transparency in the management of funds provided by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
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.
Dr Aliyu warned that weak procurement practices, poor project supervision, ineffective internal controls, conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement could undermine investments in the tertiary education sector.
He stressed that adequate funding alone would not guarantee improved educational infrastructure and services unless beneficiary institutions demonstrated transparency, accountability and responsible management of public resources.
‘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 said.
The ICPC chairman urged institutional leaders to demonstrate ethical conduct, enforce established procedures and provide safe channels for reporting misconduct without fear of retaliation.
He also called on the institutions to institutionalise corruption risk assessments, improve documentation and segregation of duties, ensure independent verification of projects, and strengthen mechanisms for reporting and responding to misconduct.
According to him, participating institutions should identify specific integrity measures, appoint responsible officers, establish implementation timelines and develop measurable indicators to monitor 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.
Dr Aliyu reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to preventing corruption through System Study and Review, Corruption Risk Assessment, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, and capacity-building programmes organised through ACAN.
In his remarks, the Provost of ACAN, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said integrity in tertiary education should extend beyond institutional leadership to academic and non-academic staff, as well as students.
He identified honesty, accountability and fairness as critical values for building trust and sustaining ethical standards in educational institutions.
Professor Ibrahim urged tertiary institutions to collaborate with the ICPC in tackling administrative corruption, embezzlement, examination malpractice, monetisation of marks, sexual harassment and the presence of ghost workers.
He commended TETFund for supporting the programme, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen governance and promote integrity in the education sector.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, represented by the Director of Human Resources and General Administration, Dr Kolapo Okunlola, said funding alone could not guarantee meaningful results without accountable leadership, effective implementation and strict adherence to established standards.
He urged institutional heads to comply with procurement laws, financial regulations and TETFund guidelines while taking responsibility for project outcomes and protecting individuals who report wrongdoing.
Echono reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to transparency and accountability, urging participants to identify institutional weaknesses and apply the knowledge gained from the programme.
He added that the impact of TETFund interventions should be measured by the integrity with which the funds are managed and the improvements they bring to educational infrastructure, research and learning across beneficiary institutions.