By Newspot Nigeria National News Desk
In a renewed bid to fight corruption and boost transparency in Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) have pledged closer collaboration to sanitize the ports—long seen as flashpoints of extortion and inefficiency.
During a courtesy visit on Friday, 30th May 2025, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Shippers’ Council, Barrister Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, met with ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The meeting reaffirmed a joint commitment to strengthen enforcement, promote accountability, and support anti-corruption capacity-building across the port value chain.
Dr. Aliyu declared the ICPC’s readiness to work with the NSC, stating, “ICPC is willing and ready to work with you to ensure that Nigeria’s economy is in good shape.” He also stressed the need to empower the thousands of youth working in the ports, urging that every effort should be made to secure their future through ethical and transparent practices.
Citing the remarkable impact of the Port Standing Task Team, Dr. Aliyu noted a dramatic reduction in bribery cases—from 266 reported incidents in 2019 to just 24 in 2020. He emphasized the importance of reviving the task team, especially in light of new legal reforms and the updated National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), to which he suggested both agencies align their efforts.
“There are corruption challenges because of the kind of work you do, and we have the mandate to prevent it. All of us have to put our hands together,” Dr. Aliyu urged, while highlighting the international recognition Nigeria has earned, with delegations from countries like Ukraine and Uganda coming to study the country’s anti-corruption success stories.
On his part, Barrister Akutah described the port as “the gateway to Nigeria’s economy”, calling for improved data-sharing, intelligence collaboration, and joint training programs to deepen awareness of anti-corruption practices among maritime stakeholders.
The NSC boss pledged continued partnership with the ICPC, emphasizing that sanitizing the ports would not only improve global trade rankings but also restore trust in Nigeria’s institutions.
This partnership signals a pivotal move in cleaning up the ports and reinforcing Nigeria’s global image as a serious player in the fight against graft.
📰 This story is reported by Newspot Nigeria.
FULL STATEMENT
INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC)
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, 30th May 2025
ICPC, Shippers’ Council Forge Partnership to Promote Transparency and Curb Corruption in Port Sector
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to strengthen anti-corruption measures, promote transparency, and build capacity within Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barrister Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Dr. Aliyu stated that ICPC was open to a strategic partnership to enhance economic growth by tackling corruption in the port sector, noting, “ICPC is willing and ready to work with you to ensure that Nigeria’s economy is in good shape,”.
While emphasising the importance of empowering young people who work in the port sector, Dr. Aliyu said, “There are a lot of youths working in the ports. Whatever we can do to ensure they have job opportunities and a future, we should do it.”
The ICPC Chairman called for the integration of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) into the partnership framework, underscoring the need for joint efforts among agencies such as ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enhance national security, facilitate global trade, and improve the ease of doing business.
Furthermore, Dr. Aliyu pledged to support the NSC in building the capacity of its personnel and leveraging technology to boost transparency and enforcement across the sector.
The ICPC boss, who reeled out past successes in the collaboration between both agencies, noted a significant reduction in reported corrupt practices at the ports, stressing that the Port Standing Task Team worked.
“Based on reports, in 2019, bribery (in the ports sector) dropped from 266 incidents to 24 incidents in 2020. So we need that sort of collaborative work. We need the team revived. Maybe with the coming of the new act, it will enable us to work together more”
His words, “I am glad to receive you today. Both agencies are critical to Nigeria’s economy. We need transparency and accountability in the ports sector. The National Anti-Corruption Strategy encourages agencies to collaborate in ethical orientation and public engagement, among others. There are corruption challenges because of the kind of work you do, and we have the mandate to prevent it. All of us have to put our hands together”.
This past success, he noted, attracted international interests, with countries such as Ukraine and Uganda visiting Nigeria to understudy its anti-corruption strategies.
Dr. Aliyu, therefore, expressed a strong commitment to revitalizing the Port Standing Task Team, which he described as instrumental in enhancing Nigeria’s image internationally. “With the ongoing legal reforms and our mandate to prevent corruption, we can achieve a lot together in terms of accountability and transparency,”.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barrister Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, acknowledged the longstanding relationship between both agencies and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to sanitizing the port sector, which he described as the gateway to Nigeria’s economy.
He called for enhanced enforcement mechanisms and urged the ICPC to support data sharing, intelligence exchange, and a joint capacity-building Programme to boost awareness and understanding of anti-corruption practices among port stakeholders.
This renewed collaboration between ICPC and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council marks a significant step toward strengthening institutional frameworks, promoting ethical standards, and reinforcing the fight against corruption in Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy sector.
Signed
Demola Bakare, fsi
Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/Spokesperson for the Commission
