The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and 12 other Federal Government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) recorded zero compliance scores in the 2025 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) released by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), raising serious concerns about transparency and governance within key public institutions.
The ICPC assessed 357 MDAs using the EICS — a diagnostic tool that evaluates institutions across four critical pillars: Management Culture and Structure, Financial Management Systems, Administrative Systems, and Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs).
Despite the widespread assessment, no federal agency achieved full compliance, and only a small fraction showed substantial adherence to ethical standards.
NNPC and Others at the Bottom of the Integrity List
NNPC ranked last among the assessed institutions, scoring zero across all integrity indicators and being classed as a high-risk institution by the ICPC.
Other agencies that also scored zero include:
- Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Jos
- Federal Civil Service Commission, Abuja
- National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Abuja
- Federal Medical Centre, Hong (Adamawa)
- University of Calabar (Cross River)
- Cross River Basin Development Authority, Calabar
- Federal College of Education, Obudu (Cross River)
- Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology (Benue)
- National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos (Plateau)
- National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike (Abia)
- Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin (Kwara)
- Federal Polytechnic, Ede (Osun)
— all classified as high-risk MDAs for non-compliance.
Top Performers and Overall Scorecard Results
In contrast, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) emerged as the highest-scoring agency with a score of 91.83, followed by institutions such as the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), and the Bank of Industry — all demonstrating stronger internal systems and compliance measures.
Overall ICPC findings show that out of 357 assessed MDAs:
- 48 (13.95%) demonstrated substantial compliance
- 132 (38.37%) achieved partial compliance
- 141 (40.99%) scored poorly
- 23 (6.69%) were non-compliant
— revealing systemic weaknesses in ethics and governance across the public sector.
ICPC’s Warning and Next Steps
During the presentation of the 2025 scorecard, ICPC officials emphasised that persistent non-compliance could trigger profiling, corrective interventions, and enforcement actions against institutions that fail to meet statutory requirements. The commission said its aim is to foster transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in public service, which are critical to good governance and sustainable national development.
The ICPC also revealed broader governance gaps: many MDAs lack key internal controls such as strategic plans, monitoring systems, and clear policies on ethics, gifts, and hospitality, while others failed to remit internally generated revenue or submit financial reports as required.
What This Means for Confidence and Public Trust
The integrity test results pose significant questions about institutional accountability in Nigeria’s public sector. For MSMEs, investors, and market stakeholders, transparency in regulatory and revenue-related agencies — especially those tied to energy and economic policy — plays a vital role in shaping business confidence and the investment climate.
As the ICPC continues to publish and enforce the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, public institutions are under increasing pressure to improve systems, internal controls, and ethical practices that enhance governance and boost stakeholder trust.
