Get Guardian on GoogleThe Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged to make public details of assets recovered in corruption investigations, including their status, as African countries move to strengthen cooperation in tracing, confiscating and repatriating proceeds of corruption.
The commission said recovered assets were public property and that transparency over their management and utilisation was necessary to ensure they served the interests of citizens.
The Director of Special Services, ICPC, and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the maiden General Assembly of the African Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Forum (AARPF), Prince Hassan Mohammed, gave the assurance during a media briefing in Abuja on Saturday.
Mohammed said the commission was committed to declaring recovered assets, stressing that the process should not end with the seizure of properties and funds but must also ensure that such assets were properly managed and deployed for public benefit.
“Definitely, ICPC will do that. Nothing is hidden. It’s a public document. Anything recovered is for the public, and so ICPC will definitely declare anything and whatever has been recovered,” he said.
He explained that asset recovery had become an integral component of the global fight against corruption, adding that the challenge was to ensure that recovered proceeds did not become targets of further mismanagement or abuse.
His comments come ahead of the maiden General Assembly of the AARPF, scheduled to be held from November 17 to 20, 2026, in Abuja.
Established in Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2025, the forum operates under the auspices of the African Union and is designed to strengthen cooperation among asset recovery practitioners across the continent.
The assembly, with the theme “From Continent to Action: Enhancing Africa’s Asset Recovery Architecture Through Effective Implementation of the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR),” is expected to bring together representatives of African governments, anti-corruption institutions and international partners.
It will focus on translating the African Union’s Common African Position on Asset Recovery into practical measures for tracing, confiscating, recovering and repatriating illicitly acquired assets.
Mohammed said the gathering would provide an opportunity for participating countries to exchange experiences, harmonise approaches and develop common strategies for tackling corruption and the concealment of illicit wealth.
“The purpose of the programme is to harmonise the fight against corruption, especially now that asset recovery has become an integral part of what anti-corruption agencies do all over the world.
“So here is to synergise, synthesise, come up with strategies, common ways to deal with this menace. Essentially, that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
On whether Nigeria was ahead of other African countries in asset recovery, Mohammed said it was difficult to make such a comparison because some countries did not publicly disclose the assets they recovered.
He, however, said the assembly would provide an opportunity for participating countries to share information and compare experiences on their respective recovery efforts.
According to him, participants would also visit some locations in Nigeria to see how recovered assets were being managed and utilised.
He said the visits would form part of the programme, although he did not provide further details on the specific assets involved.
Mohammed put the expected attendance at about 52 to 54 African countries, although the final number of participating countries was not confirmed during the briefing.
The assembly is expected to provide a continental platform for addressing institutional weaknesses, improving cross-border cooperation and strengthening mechanisms for returning illicit assets to countries from which they were taken.
For Nigeria, the meeting also presents an opportunity to demonstrate its asset recovery framework and deepen collaboration with other African jurisdictions, particularly in cases involving assets concealed or transferred across national borders.
