The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Bar Association Anti-Corruption Committee (NBA-ACC) to deepen collaboration in promoting integrity, transparency, and the rule of law in Nigeria.
The partnership is aimed at strengthening institutional cooperation in the fight against corruption, improving ethical standards within the legal profession, and enhancing public confidence in the justice system.
The agreement was signed on Thursday at the ICPC Headquarters in Abuja during a formal ceremony that also featured the signing of a second MoU between the NBA-ACC and the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the research and training arm of the ICPC, to enhance institutional and human capacity through education, training, and research.
Speaking at the event, ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, said the partnership was a deliberate response to the urgent need for collective action against corruption, stressing that institutions achieve greater impact when they work together.
“Corruption prospers where institutions work in isolation, but integrity flourishes where partnerships are forged,” Aliyu said, describing the agreement as a strategic alliance anchored on shared values of accountability, professional ethics, service, and the supremacy of the rule of law.
He explained that the MoU provides a framework for harmonising enforcement efforts with preventive strategies, capacity building, public enlightenment, and ethical re-orientation, adding that the collaboration between the ICPC and the NBA would strengthen Nigeria’s justice system and help restore public confidence in governance.
Aliyu also highlighted the critical role of ACAN in promoting long-term success through education, research, and skills development, noting that the tripartite cooperation would help nurture a new generation of legal practitioners committed to integrity as a core professional obligation.
On his part, Chairman of the NBA Anti-Corruption Committee, Professor Babafemi Badejo, described the agreements as a decisive step toward building strong institutions and entrenching professional integrity in Nigeria.
He said the MoU with the ICPC would enhance collaboration in promoting ethical standards within the legal profession, building capacity, raising public awareness, and advocating sound policy reforms.
Badejo added that the agreement with ACAN would further strengthen the partnership through structured anti-corruption curricula, joint research initiatives, and specialised certification programmes for lawyers and allied professionals.
Both organisations expressed confidence that the collaboration would yield significant progress in promoting integrity, strengthening the rule of law, and advancing transparency and accountability across Nigeria’s legal and governance sectors.
