Nearly 50% of MDAs Fail ICPC 2025 Integrity Test

Nearly 50% of MDAs Fail ICPC 2025 Integrity Test

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Nearly half of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) assessed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in 2025 failed to meet minimum ethics and integrity standards, raising fresh concerns over governance and internal controls in the public service.

ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while presenting the outcome of the 2025 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) and the ACTU Effectiveness Index (AEI).

According to the Commission, 357 MDAs were deployed for assessment, with 344 effectively evaluated. The results showed that no MDA achieved full compliance. While 48 MDAs, representing 13.95 per cent, recorded substantial compliance, 132 MDAs (38.37 per cent) were rated partially compliant.

However, 141 MDAs, accounting for 40.99 per cent, showed poor compliance, while 23 MDAs (6.69 per cent) were classified as non-compliant. An additional 13 MDAs were non-responsive.

On the ACTU Effectiveness Index, which measures the performance of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units within MDAs, only 33 ACTUs (12.31 per cent) were rated very effective, while 83 (30.97 per cent) were effective.

In contrast, 142 ACTUs (52.99 per cent) were found to be ineffective, with 10 (3.73 per cent) classified as dormant. The ICPC also revealed that 89 MDAs failed to establish ACTUs at all, in violation of the national anti-corruption framework.

Aliyu said the findings exposed widespread weaknesses in basic administrative and ethical systems across MDAs. He noted that 169 MDAs lacked clearly defined core values, mission and vision statements, while 191 did not have policies regulating the acceptance of gifts and hospitality.

The report further showed gaps in planning and oversight, with 102 MDAs operating without strategic plans and 154 lacking monitoring and evaluation systems for projects and programmes.

In financial management, 114 MDAs failed to submit financial reports to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, while 40 MDAs did not remit internally generated revenue as required.

In procurement and audit processes, 41 MDAs failed to carry out internal audits, 96 did not submit audited accounts within statutory timelines, and 58 operated without duly appointed external auditors.

The Commission also found that 88 MDAs did not conduct annual needs assessments for procurement, while 71 failed to provide stakeholders with their ethics and compliance principles.

Aliyu said the results indicated that MDAs with weak systems and repeated non-compliance were more vulnerable to financial mismanagement, procurement abuse and project failure. He described persistent governance gaps revealed by the assessment as “unacceptable” and below public service standards.

He assured that the ICPC would intensify follow-up actions, including system reviews, corruption risk assessments and enforcement measures, to address the identified deficiencies.

“The tools for managing integrity exist, but leadership commitment, proper resourcing and consistent application remain major challenges,” the chairman said, adding that the Commission would continue to engage MDAs to strengthen transparency, ethical conduct and accountability in the public sector.