ICPC urges universities to drive anti-corruption research

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), has called on Nigerian universities to play a more strategic role in the fight against corruption through research, policy innovation and integrity education.
Aliyu made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 11th Annual Conference of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, themed, “The Fight against Corruption in Nigeria: The Social Science Perspective.”
He said corruption should no longer be viewed solely as a criminal offence but as a complex social problem driven by human behaviour, institutional weaknesses, cultural norms, economic incentives and governance structures.
According to him, while prosecution remains important, sustainable success in tackling corruption depends on evidence-based policies, behavioural change, institutional reforms and active citizen participation.
The ICPC chairman urged universities to expand research in areas such as corruption risk assessment, public sector accountability, digital governance, procurement transparency, ethics education, artificial intelligence, citizen participation and social accountability.
He stressed that research findings should be translated into practical policies, legislative reforms and institutional improvements capable of strengthening governance.
Aliyu also advocated stronger corruption prevention measures, including process automation, transparent procurement, digital service delivery, whistle-blower protection, open budgeting, conflict-of-interest management and regular corruption risk assessments.
He further called for greater collaboration among government institutions, the legislature, judiciary, academia, civil society organisations, the media, the private sector and development partners to promote transparency, accountability and ethical leadership.
The ICPC chairman described integrity education as a lifelong process that should begin in childhood and be reinforced through schools, families, workplaces and public institutions, expressing optimism that the conference would produce practical recommendations to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda.