ICPC, NRC deepen collaboration on anti-graft measures

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged closer collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s railway sector. The Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RAAC) for the ICPC Lagos Office, Alexander Chukwumah, made the commitment during a courtesy visit to the Managing […]

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged closer collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s railway sector.

The Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RAAC) for the ICPC Lagos Office, Alexander Chukwumah, made the commitment during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, at the corporation’s headquarters.

Chukwumah said the commission was ready to support the corporation through training programmes designed to equip staff with the knowledge needed to identify and avoid actions that could expose them to corruption-related offences.

According to him, the initiative forms part of the commission’s public education mandate aimed at promoting integrity and discouraging corrupt practices across public institutions.

He urged the NRC management to work closely with the corporation’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), noting that members of the unit had been trained to identify early warning signs and red flags that could help management address minor infractions before they escalate into major institutional challenges.

Chukwumah said the visit was also intended to further strengthen the working relationship between the ICPC and the railway corporation.

“ICPC is committed to ensuring that staff of the NRC remain on the right side of the law. We are ready to guide and support the management in ways that will help reduce exposure to corruption risks,” he said.

Responding, Opeifa welcomed the partnership and expressed the corporation’s readiness to collaborate with the commission in deepening transparency within the railway system.

He noted that the railway sector could have recorded greater progress over the years if corruption had not hindered development within the system.

The NRC managing director therefore requested the ICPC to organise a capacity-building programme for the corporation’s heads of departments and senior management staff to enable them better understand institutional vulnerabilities that could lead to errors of judgement in the discharge of their duties.

Opeifa also identified vandalism of railway infrastructure as a major challenge confronting the corporation, noting that the destruction of critical assets continues to place pressure on railway operations.

As part of efforts to discourage the menace, he presented anti-vandalism sweatshirts to members of the ICPC delegation bearing the inscription: “Rails and railway assets are critical national treasures and not scraps.”

He stressed that the corporation maintains a strict internal disciplinary regime against collusion or sabotage, warning that any staff found culpable would face immediate dismissal.

The NRC boss also commended the dedication of the corporation’s workforce, particularly its engineers, whose commitment he said had ensured the continuity of rail services despite operational challenges.

Speaking on the corporation’s long-term plans, Opeifa highlighted the NRC’s Vision 2-5-10-20 development framework aimed at guiding the modernisation and expansion of Nigeria’s rail system.

He explained that the first phase of the plan focuses on optimising existing railway lines and reviving abandoned corridors that once supported economic activities across the country.

Under the initiative, he said the corporation is working towards reactivating the Kaduna–Nguru–Kaura Namoda rail corridor, with efforts underway to restore rail services to Zamfara State within the year.

Opeifa added that the corporation is also advancing a freight-by-rail strategy and strengthening its ‘Railing with the States’ initiative to enable state governments to leverage railway infrastructure for economic development while improving connectivity between rail lines and seaports.

He further disclosed that the corporation plans to gradually transition from diesel-powered locomotives to cleaner energy sources such as gas in the coming years, while working towards doubling Nigeria’s rail assets by 2035.