The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, has presented Nigeria’s technology-driven anti-corruption initiative, the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), at the 16th Regional Conference and Annual General Meeting of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa held in Yaoundé.

The conference, hosted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Cameroon in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, was themed: “Deploying Artificial Intelligence in the Fight Against Corruption in Commonwealth Africa.”

Presenting Nigeria’s country paper on behalf of the ICPC Chairman, the Commission’s Head of External Cooperation, Ahmed Abdul, described CEPTI as a proactive technology-based mechanism designed to promote transparency, accountability, and value for money in the execution of government-funded projects across Nigeria.

According to him, the initiative leverages geospatial mapping technology to enable real-time monitoring, validation, and analysis of constituency and executive projects nationwide.

He disclosed that projects worth more than N22.9 trillion have been tracked under CEPTI since its inception. He added that cash recoveries from improperly executed projects have exceeded N4.9 billion, while savings to the Federal Government from aborted, inflated, or re-scoped projects stand at over N91.4 billion.

Ahmed Abdul further stated that the initiative has significantly reduced corrupt practices associated with public infrastructure delivery, including contract inflation, diversion of funds, ghost projects, and project abandonment. He noted that the tracking mechanism has also compelled contractors to return to abandoned project sites for completion.

Speaking through his representative, Dr. Aliyu stressed that Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, and geospatial technology have become critical tools for strengthening transparency and accountability in governance.

He urged anti-corruption agencies across Commonwealth Africa to institutionalise technology-driven project-tracking frameworks and deepen collaboration in digital investigation and data science.

At the end of the conference, heads of anti-corruption agencies across Commonwealth Africa adopted resolutions aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption through the deployment of Artificial Intelligence.

In a communiqué issued after the conference, delegates resolved to promote digital transformation in public service delivery and encourage the adoption of strategic digital technologies to improve transparency in public procurement and public finance management.

The delegates also agreed to strengthen policy frameworks for the recovery of stolen assets and deepen collaboration among anti-corruption agencies across the region.

The communiqué further stated that member agencies would build the capacity of anti-corruption personnel in the use of Artificial Intelligence for evidence gathering, investigation, and prosecution of corruption cases.

Participants also pledged to empower young people with digital skills to promote integrity, accountability, and transparency across the African continent.

Meanwhile, the communiqué confirmed that the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Cameroon will serve as Chair of the Association of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa for the 2026–2027 period, while Kenya will host the 17th Regional Conference and Annual General Meeting in 2027.