The Government of Namibia has reached out to Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to explore opportunities for training and sharing knowledge with Namibia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in their efforts to combat corruption.
This initiative was announced on Friday when Namibia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Humphrey Geiseb, visited the ICPC’s headquarters. He highlighted Nigeria’s major role in Africa’s fight against corruption, stressing that Namibia could benefit from Nigeria’s expertise.
Mr. Geiseb mentioned that Namibia’s ACC is eager to learn from Nigeria’s successes, particularly in the recovery of stolen assets by the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He expressed the belief that Nigeria’s anti-corruption bodies should lead in sharing their experiences with other African nations.
“The fight against corruption is taking a new dimension in the continent and we believe Nigeria should lead in sharing its expertise in the fight against corruption and we hope it will open its doors to other African countries like Namibia to learn.
“We feel ICPC and the EFCC should be able to go the extra mile to share their remarkable achievements. It’s not good for Namibia to go outside the continent to learn this,” said the Ambassador.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, welcomed the Ambassador’s visit, which coincided with the launch of the ICPC’s Strategic Action Plan for 2024-2028. He emphasised that the fight against corruption in Africa cannot be tackled in isolation, and cooperation between nations is essential.
Dr Aliyu confirmed that the ICPC is ready to collaborate with other anti-corruption agencies across Africa, including Namibia, and noted that the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training arm of the ICPC, is well-equipped to support the training of Namibian ACC staff.
He also referenced a previous agreement signed by his predecessor, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, affirming the ICPC’s willingness to assist Namibia in its anti-corruption efforts.
“Those who indulge in corruption have their networks. So, we too at the continent need to come together so that we can distort the illegal methods. By doing so, we’ll have good governance and a vibrant foreign-direct investment on the continent
“We are aware of the MoU signed by my predecessor, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, I wish to reiterate that our doors remain opened for any assistance that the Namibian Anti-corruption Commission may require from us. We have our own Anti-corruption Academy where we train people, I believe when your people come, we can also learn from them as well,” Dr Aliyu stated.
