The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, have introduced a Joint Task Force on Digital Governance and Anti-Corruption.

NITDA said the task force is to tackle corruption risks associated with government IT projects, strengthen the enforcement mandate and ensure that technology becomes a tool for service delivery.

The announcement was made at the ICPC Headquarters in Abuja during a high-level courtesy call by the Director General of NITDA to the ICPC chairman, according to a statement by the Director, Corporate Communications at NITDA, Mrs Hadiza Umar.

The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, according to the statement, stressed the importance of IT Project Clearance as a national safeguard designed to track government spending in IT and prevent development of projects in silos where significant resources can be shared by FPIs.

‘‘IT clearance regulation is designed to ensure that IT projects are properly conceptualized and executed in line with global best practices, ensuring value-for-money investments, reducing duplication, and creating a unified digital government.

‘‘This visit underscores the determination of both agencies to align their mandates in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his directive to build a $1 trillion economy, powered by digital transformation, ease of doing business, and elimination of corruption as a barrier to growth,’’ Abdullahi said.

Meanwhile the ICPC chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, welcomed the collaboration, noting that corruption in IT procurement undermines both public trust and economic progress.

He emphasized ICPC’s readiness to use its statutory powers to support NITDA’s mandate and hold both contractors and public officials accountable.

NITDA, ICPC joint task force to combat corruption in IT projects