The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered more than N5.3bn from local government accounts in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory following a review of their finances.
The commission also disclosed that it was working with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to ensure that all 774 local government areas publish their financial records and other relevant information online.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, disclosed this in Nasarawa State during the launch of the ICPC-NITDA Local Government Websites Pilot.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the commission’s spokesperson, John Odey, Aliyu said the initiative was designed to strengthen transparency and accountability at the grassroots through digital disclosure.
He said the recovery of more than N5.3bn demonstrated the financial risks associated with local government administration and the importance of scrutinising public accounts to prevent corruption.
“The ICPC has recovered over N5.3bn from a review of local government accounts in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory, and is now moving to make councils across the country publish their finances online.
“The recoveries show both the scale of the risk at the grassroots and what scrutiny can achieve, while the websites represent the preventive side of the same effort,” he said.
According to Aliyu, the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment affirming the financial autonomy of local government councils and the direct payment of their statutory allocations has increased the need for accountability in the management of public funds.
“Autonomy brings responsibility. Funds that now flow directly to the councils must be spent openly and for the benefit of the people,” he said.
He explained that the websites would require councils to publish information on their budgets, allocations, revenue, expenditure, audits, debts, procurement processes, human resources, and channels for citizen engagement and whistleblowing.
Aliyu said the platforms would enable residents, journalists and oversight institutions to monitor council finances and identify possible irregularities.
“When these records are published regularly, citizens can follow the money, the media can ask informed questions and oversight institutions can detect risks early, before they become losses,” he added.
He said NITDA would provide the technological infrastructure, including domain registration, website development and hosting for at least one year, while the ICPC would establish the content standards and accountability framework.
Aliyu urged council chairmen to appoint dedicated officers to manage the platforms and ensure that published information was accurate and regularly updated.
He added that the commission would approach the initiative as a corruption-prevention partnership rather than an instrument of witch-hunting.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the initiative would improve governance, citizen engagement and economic opportunities.
He said the digital platforms would make it easier for residents to access information about government projects and lodge complaints.
“Our people are online; therefore, government needs to be online to serve them better,” he said.
Abdullahi said NITDA would establish standards, develop website templates and train citizens, adding that the initiative would eventually cover all 774 local government areas.
“Our ambition is not 774 websites. It is 774 digitally empowered local governments delivering better experiences to millions of Nigerians,” he said.
The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, who launched the pilot, designated the Nasarawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency as the state’s technical partner.
Sule directed local government councils to ensure the accuracy of information published on their websites and assign officers to verify records before uploading them.
He said the success of the initiative would be measured by the accessibility, currency and usefulness of the information, rather than merely by the launch of the platforms.
The governor also urged the ICPC and NITDA to extend the transparency initiative to state governments, offering Nasarawa as the first state to participate.
He said the disclosures would enable citizens to determine where funds meant for local governments were being held up.
The Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (retd.), and the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Danladi Jatau, also commended the initiative.
Jatau pledged the Assembly’s support, noting that the Constitution empowered the legislature to oversee local government finances.
The launch was followed by a technical session on the standardised website template.
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