The House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption has called for improved funding for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), citing the agency’s strong performance despite what lawmakers described as severe financial constraints.
The committee made the position known on Friday during the commission’s defence of its 2026 budget proposal before the House. According to ICPC spokesperson, J. Okor Odey, members commended the agency for generating substantial recoveries for the Federal Government while operating on limited resources.
Lawmakers questioned the rationale behind underfunding an agency tasked with combating corruption, warning that persistent financial shortfalls could undermine the safety of personnel and the integrity of sensitive investigations nationwide.
Chairman of the committee, Rt. Hon. Kayode Akiolu, praised the ICPC and its leadership, describing the commission’s operational methods as consistent with international best practices. He commended the Chairman for maintaining firm and principled leadership in the enforcement of anti-corruption laws.
Hon. Abdulmaleek Abdulraheem, representing Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency of Kogi State, highlighted what he described as the commission’s remarkable return on investment.
He noted that the ICPC received N2.8 billion in the previous year but recovered N33.16 billion and $1.8 million, alongside securing multiple convictions. He contrasted this with other agencies that, despite larger allocations, failed to generate comparable returns for government coffers.
The lawmaker urged the committee to ensure that any reductions made to the commission’s 2026 budget be reversed, stressing that its allocation should not fall below the 2025 level. He also warned that chronic underfunding could expose the agency to undue pressure and operational vulnerabilities.
Other committee members proposed that the ICPC be allowed to retain a percentage of recovered funds to support its operations, similar to arrangements enjoyed by revenue-generating agencies.
In his presentation, ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), appealed to the National Assembly to facilitate improved funding to enable the commission to effectively carry out its statutory mandate.
He revealed that although N7.82 billion was approved for overhead costs in 2025, only N2.1 billion—about 28 per cent—was released. This, he said, affected court attendance, investigations and the payment of service providers, particularly for rented state offices.
Capital funding was also significantly constrained. Of the N7.3 billion approved for capital projects, only N400.49 million—approximately five per cent—was released, and this occurred late in November 2025, limiting project execution.
Despite the financial challenges, the commission reported recovering N33.1 billion and $1.8 million in cash, in addition to other assets. It filed 72 cases, secured 36 convictions and is currently prosecuting about 400 cases nationwide.
The ICPC also disclosed that it received 1,107 petitions, assigned 700 for investigation and concluded 150 inquiries. Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecards were deployed across 344 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, while 131 Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units were inaugurated nationwide.
Dr Aliyu expressed concern over proposed cuts to the commission’s 2026 budget, including reductions in overhead and capital allocations, warning that such measures could adversely affect operations.
He, however, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to prudent resource management and fiscal discipline if provided with improved funding.
