ICPC Seeks Global Best Practices to Strengthen Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Fight
ICPC Seeks Global Best Practices to Strengthen Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Fight
ICPC Seeks Global Best Practices to Strengthen Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Fight
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to drawing lessons from international best practices and comparative experiences to strengthen the country’s anti-corruption policies and strategies.
Aliyu made this known at the Third Edition of the International Diplomatic Dialogue, organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the research and training arm of the ICPC, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The dialogue was themed “Experience Sharing in Anti-Corruption Policies and Strategies: The Chinese Perspective.”
The ICPC Chairman said international cooperation and knowledge-sharing remained critical to developing effective approaches to tackling corruption, noting that Nigeria could benefit from studying successful strategies adopted by other countries and adapting them to its own realities.
“As Nigeria continues to deepen its anti-corruption efforts, there is much value in learning from comparative experiences, understanding best practices, and identifying innovative approaches that can be adapted to our local realities,” he said.
Aliyu described corruption as a major threat to political stability, socio-economic development and national progress, particularly in societies where corrupt practices are allowed to persist without effective consequences.
He noted that China had made significant progress in strengthening its anti-corruption framework through institutions such as the National Supervisory Commission (NSC) and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).
According to him, the ICPC was particularly interested in learning from China’s institutional and legal reforms, enforcement mechanisms and broader policies designed to prevent and combat corruption.
The Chairman also recalled that previous editions of the International Diplomatic Dialogue had featured engagements with the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria and the Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria, providing opportunities for participants to exchange knowledge and experiences on anti-corruption strategies.
China’s Experience Offers Lessons for Nigeria
In his remarks, the Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Prof. Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said China’s transformation from one of the world’s poorest countries into a major global economic and technological power had been supported by strong political commitment and sustained efforts to combat corruption.
Ibrahim said China had strengthened its anti-corruption system through coordinated investigations, a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and the deployment of technology to improve transparency and detect corrupt practices.
He also highlighted the relevance of ethical values associated with Confucian philosophy, including righteousness, propriety, wisdom, sincerity and integrity, in promoting responsible conduct.
The ACAN Provost called for deeper comparative studies between Nigeria and China’s anti-corruption systems, saying such exchanges could strengthen accountability, improve institutional effectiveness and contribute to sustainable national development.
Chinese Embassy Highlights Prevention, Enforcement
Delivering the keynote address, the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Counsellor Yang Juanxing, said China’s anti-corruption strategy goes beyond investigating and punishing individual offenders.
He explained that the approach combines enforcement with prevention, institutional reforms, oversight and public education.
According to Yang, the objective is to develop a system in which individuals are unwilling, unable and afraid to engage in corrupt practices.
The Chinese diplomat stressed that accountability must apply to everyone, regardless of position, influence, power or personal connections.
He identified strong values, effective institutions and the rule of law as essential pillars of a sustainable anti-corruption framework.
Yang urged societies to promote integrity, establish transparent procedures, strengthen oversight mechanisms and ensure that violations of the law attract appropriate consequences.
The Third International Diplomatic Dialogue provided a platform for Nigerian and Chinese stakeholders to exchange ideas on anti-corruption policies, institutional reforms, enforcement mechanisms and preventive strategies.
The ICPC said such international engagements would continue to support Nigeria’s efforts to develop more effective, innovative and sustainable approaches to combating corruption and strengthening accountability.
ICPC Seeks Global Best Practices to Strengthen Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Fight
