Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) says it has identified discrepancies in the asset declaration forms of several senior government officials, including ministers and permanent secretaries, as part of its latest drive to strengthen public accountability.
In a statement released on Tuesday, CCB Chairman Abdullahi Bello said the findings followed a review of more than 500 asset declaration forms by the bureau’s newly established Financial Investigation and Fraud Analysis Unit (FIFAU).
“The investigation uncovered discrepancies that will aid enforcement actions against defaulting public officers and promote integrity within the public service,” Bello said.
According to the bureau, the verified forms include those of at least nine ministers, 43 permanent secretaries, and 40 federal directors, marking a new phase in the agency’s efforts to ensure compliance with Nigeria’s asset declaration laws.
Mr Bello noted that since assuming office, his administration had introduced an online asset declaration system, allowing public officers to submit forms digitally through the CCB’s website.
He said the move had saved the government millions of naira previously spent on printing and distributing manual forms.
He further disclosed that the bureau has also trained 199 personnel in investigation, verification, forensic analysis, and ethical governance to improve its operational effectiveness.
“To strengthen enforcement, the CCB entered into partnerships with key local and international anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).”
“It has also collaborated with several foreign embassies and taken part in international anti-corruption forums such as the Cambridge Economic Crime Forum and the U.S. IVLO 2025, aimed at promoting transparency and attracting global support for Nigeria’s reform efforts”, he said.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to ethical governance, Mr Bello said the bureau’s guiding principle remains “declare or forfeit”, urging all public officers to comply fully and honestly with asset declaration requirements.
“Public service must be built on transparency and integrity,” he said. “Those who fail to declare truthfully will face the consequences under the law.”