It called for a comprehensive overhaul of integrity, accountability and revenue-collection systems at the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Musa Aliyu, the ICPC chairman, made the call on Monday in Abuja while declaring open a two-day executive anti-corruption training for senior NIWA officials, organised by the Authority in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN).
Aliyu said that for an organisation with NIWA’s regulatory, operational and revenue-generating responsibilities, embedding strong anti-corruption safeguards was no longer optional but imperative.
He stressed that integrity must be institutionalised through systems, procedures and controls rather than left to individual moral choices.
“Preventing corruption is more beneficial and cost-effective than running after stolen funds,” the ICPC chairman said, noting that the Commission’s strategy places strong emphasis on prevention through system strengthening, early risk detection and institutional reforms.
He pledged the Commission’s continued support for NIWA through corruption risk assessments, system reviews and targeted capacity-building initiatives aimed at safeguarding public resources, boosting operational efficiency and restoring public confidence in the management of Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Also speaking at the event, Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, underscored the link between institutional integrity and economic growth.
Represented by Fatima Mahmood, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the minister described NIWA as a critical pillar of the Federal Government’s Blue Economy agenda.
According to Oyetola, system integrity is the bedrock of effective public service delivery, sustainable institutions and national prosperity.
He said ethical governance within NIWA would help reduce transportation costs, enhance trade efficiency and attract both local and foreign investment into the maritime and inland waterways sector.
He urged NIWA officials to demonstrate ethical leadership, embrace innovation and pursue transparent revenue strategies capable of unlocking the sector’s full economic potential.
In his welcome address, Mukhtari Shagari, NIWA Board Chairman, situated the anti-corruption retreat within the framework of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said integrity must serve as a practical discipline guiding every decision and operation within the Authority.
Shagari outlined a multi-pronged integrity action plan for NIWA, including expanded use of digital payment platforms, stronger internal control mechanisms, continuous ethics and compliance training for staff, and increased community participation in monitoring service delivery.
He explained that the objective was not merely to boost revenue figures but to build resilient, transparent systems capable of attracting private investment and fostering trust-based partnerships with host communities along Nigeria’s waterways.
Sheriff Ibrahim, Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, represented by Clement Obaniyi, Deputy Director, said the training was designed to deliver practical, measurable outcomes.
He noted that participants would be equipped to identify corruption risk points in revenue management, deploy preventive controls to block leakages, and develop actionable integrity plans tailored to their departments.
