NITDA,ICPC join forces  to tackle corruption with technology

Joy Agwunobi

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expressed its willingness to work with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to digitise its services and combat corruption in public institutions throughout Nigeria. 

During a recent meeting between Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director general of NITDA, and Musa Adamu, the chairman of the ICPC, the two parties discussed the automation of the ICPC’s services. Abdullahi expressed his belief that this automation would enable the ICPC to more effectively tackle corruption in Nigeria. 

Abdullahi emphasised that while NITDA is ready to support the ICPC in digitising its services and monitoring corrupt practices, the process of automation is ongoing and not a one-time task. He noted that NITDA is working on automating 293 processes, but that this work is taking place gradually, one process at a time. He explained that this phased approach is necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the automation. Abdullahi also highlighted the importance of collaboration and coordination between the two organisations in order to achieve the desired results.

Abdullahi also highlighted that NITDA has a history of assisting other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with their digital transformation efforts, noting that they have other initiatives in place to support this process.

 On the subject of training, Abdullahi noted that NITDA has made a strong effort to support MDAs in their digital transformation journey through a variety of training initiatives. He said the agency has organised training sessions on topics such as e-government, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics and has established a Technical Working Group (TWG) to provide technical assistance to MDAs. 

Abdullahi reiterated that technology is a powerful tool, but that its effectiveness depends on the willingness and readiness of users to embrace its possibilities. He stressed that the desired results of automation can only be achieved if processes are optimised and re-engineered before automation is implemented.

The NITDA DG described the approach that NITDA has taken to its own digital transformation, and how this can serve as a model for other organizations. He also introduced the NITDA Digital Transformation Playbook, a guide that has been developed based on the agency’s experience and is designed to help other organisations plan and execute their own digital transformation.

Abdullahi emphasized that NITDA is fully committed to supporting the ICPC’s digital transformation journey and is eager to collaborate on other important initiatives. 

“Digital Transformation is a journey, it is not a one-off initiative or project that you will execute and you are done, no, it is a journey which needs continuous improvement and we are willing to go on this journey with you,”he added.

Musa Adamu Aliyu, the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission , provided a brief introduction and outlined the purpose of his visit to NITDA. He stressed the importance of technology in the fight against corruption, noting that without technology, it would be much more difficult to achieve meaningful progress.

Aliyu stated that the ICPC’s mandate includes three main areas: prevention, investigation, and prosecution. He stressed the need to modernize the Commission’s processes and procedures in order to more effectively fulfill its mission. He highlighted NITDA’s expertise and resources as critical in this modernization effort, stating that they will be instrumental in helping the ICPC to achieve its goals.

The ICPC chairman further emphasised that digitising the commission would lead to increased efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and accountability, which would in turn enhance public trust in the commission. He stressed that public trust is critical to the success of the ICPC’s mission, and that digitalisation would help to create a more open and transparent institution that is better able to meet the needs of the Nigerian people.