NASENI, CCB Partnership Signals New Era for Transparent Public Service Through Digital Innovation

Nigeria’s drive to modernise governance through technology received another significant boost with the recent partnership between the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), an initiative that is expected to transform one of the country’s most critical accountability processes; the declaration of assets by public officers.  The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both institutions in Abuja marks more than a routine inter-agency collaboration. It represents a deliberate effort to deploy indigenous technological solutions to improve transparency, strengthen public sector efficiency and simplify the administration of one of Nigeria’s constitutional anti-corruption mechanisms. For decades, asset declaration by public officers has remained largely paper-based, cumbersome and difficult to administer, especially considering the sheer number of civil servants spread across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Every election cycle and every round of appointments into public offices further increases the volume of declarations that must be received, processed, stored and verified. Officials estimate that the Code of Conduct Bureau is responsible for managing asset declaration records for well over five million public servants across the federation, making the exercise one of the largest public records management responsibilities undertaken by any government institution in Nigeria. From Hope to Opportunity: How NASENI Is Building Nigeria’s Next Generation of Skilled Innovators Technology Transfer in the Age of Economic Sovereignty: Why NASENI Matters to Nigeria’s Industrial Future Managing such enormous volumes of information using predominantly manual systems presents obvious administrative challenges. Apart from the cost of printing, transporting and storing millions of physical forms, manual processing also slows verification, limits accessibility and complicates long-term record management. Recognising these realities, NASENI and the Code of Conduct Bureau have agreed to work together on institutional digital systems, technical advisory services and capacity building designed to reposition the Bureau for a fully digital future. Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony at NASENI headquarters, Idu Industrial District, Abuja, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said discussions between both organisations had matured into a practical framework that would deliver measurable results. According to him, the agreement is designed as a sustainable framework through which both institutions can jointly develop solutions that improve operational efficiency and service delivery. The emphasis on sustainability reflects a growing philosophy within NASENI under Halilu’s leadership, where partnerships are increasingly expected to produce practical technological solutions capable of solving real governance and industrial challenges. Since assuming office, Halilu has consistently advocated a results-driven approach anchored on innovation, local technology development and strategic partnerships. Under his leadership, NASENI has expanded collaborations with several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) while also deepening engagement with private sector players and development partners. The Agency has increasingly positioned itself as a national innovation institution capable of providing homegrown engineering and technology solutions to problems confronting government institutions and industries. In the last three years, it has pursued reforms that seek to move beyond research laboratories into practical deployment of technologies capable of supporting agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing, digital innovation, healthcare equipment production and industrial development. This strategic shift aligns with the Federal Government’s broader objective of reducing dependence on imported technologies while encouraging indigenous innovation that creates jobs, improves productivity and conserves foreign exchange. The partnership with the Bureau therefore fits squarely within NASENI’s expanding mandate of applying science, engineering and technology to solve practical national problems. For the Bureau, the collaboration comes at a particularly important period as expectations continue to rise regarding transparency and accountability in public administration. Established under the Nigerian Constitution, the CCB is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, including the collection, custody and verification of assets declared by elected and appointed public officials before assumption of office, periodically while in office and after leaving public service. The Bureau’s responsibilities also extend to examining declarations where necessary and referring cases involving breaches of the Code of Conduct to appropriate authorities. Carrying out these constitutional responsibilities efficiently requires modern information management systems capable of handling millions of records securely and accurately. Chairman of CCB, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, acknowledged this challenge while speaking during the signing ceremony, expressing appreciation to NASENI for embracing the partnership and described the MoU as one that would significantly support the Bureau’s ongoing modernisation efforts. According to him, administering asset declaration forms for over five million public servants remains an enormous responsibility, and digitising the process would improve accessibility, efficiency and overall service delivery. He described implementation of the MoU as a potential game changer capable of transforming how the Bureau delivers on its constitutional mandate. Indeed, digitisation promises benefits extending beyond convenience. Electronic asset declaration systems can significantly reduce processing time, minimise human error, improve data integrity and facilitate faster retrieval of information. Digital platforms make it easier to analyze records, identify inconsistencies where necessary and maintain secure archives that are less vulnerable to deterioration or physical damage than traditional paper files. The Federal Government’s broader digital economy agenda continues to encourage […]

Nigeria’s drive to modernise governance through technology received another significant boost with the recent partnership between the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), an initiative that is expected to transform one of the country’s most critical accountability processes; the declaration of assets by public officers. 

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both institutions in Abuja marks more than a routine inter-agency collaboration. It represents a deliberate effort to deploy indigenous technological solutions to improve transparency, strengthen public sector efficiency and simplify the administration of one of Nigeria’s constitutional anti-corruption mechanisms.

For decades, asset declaration by public officers has remained largely paper-based, cumbersome and difficult to administer, especially considering the sheer number of civil servants spread across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Every election cycle and every round of appointments into public offices further increases the volume of declarations that must be received, processed, stored and verified.

Officials estimate that the Code of Conduct Bureau is responsible for managing asset declaration records for well over five million public servants across the federation, making the exercise one of the largest public records management responsibilities undertaken by any government institution in Nigeria.

• From Hope to Opportunity: How NASENI Is Building Nigeria’s Next Generation of Skilled Innovators
• Technology Transfer in the Age of Economic Sovereignty: Why NASENI Matters to Nigeria’s Industrial Future

Managing such enormous volumes of information using predominantly manual systems presents obvious administrative challenges. Apart from the cost of printing, transporting and storing millions of physical forms, manual processing also slows verification, limits accessibility and complicates long-term record management.

Recognising these realities, NASENI and the Code of Conduct Bureau have agreed to work together on institutional digital systems, technical advisory services and capacity building designed to reposition the Bureau for a fully digital future.

Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony at NASENI headquarters, Idu Industrial District, Abuja, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said discussions between both organisations had matured into a practical framework that would deliver measurable results.

According to him, the agreement is designed as a sustainable framework through which both institutions can jointly develop solutions that improve operational efficiency and service delivery. The emphasis on sustainability reflects a growing philosophy within NASENI under Halilu’s leadership, where partnerships are increasingly expected to produce practical technological solutions capable of solving real governance and industrial challenges.

Since assuming office, Halilu has consistently advocated a results-driven approach anchored on innovation, local technology development and strategic partnerships. Under his leadership, NASENI has expanded collaborations with several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) while also deepening engagement with private sector players and development partners.

The Agency has increasingly positioned itself as a national innovation institution capable of providing homegrown engineering and technology solutions to problems confronting government institutions and industries. In the last three years, it has pursued reforms that seek to move beyond research laboratories into practical deployment of technologies capable of supporting agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing, digital innovation, healthcare equipment production and industrial development.

This strategic shift aligns with the Federal Government’s broader objective of reducing dependence on imported technologies while encouraging indigenous innovation that creates jobs, improves productivity and conserves foreign exchange. The partnership with the Bureau therefore fits squarely within NASENI’s expanding mandate of applying science, engineering and technology to solve practical national problems.

For the Bureau, the collaboration comes at a particularly important period as expectations continue to rise regarding transparency and accountability in public administration. Established under the Nigerian Constitution, the CCB is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, including the collection, custody and verification of assets declared by elected and appointed public officials before assumption of office, periodically while in office and after leaving public service.

The Bureau’s responsibilities also extend to examining declarations where necessary and referring cases involving breaches of the Code of Conduct to appropriate authorities. Carrying out these constitutional responsibilities efficiently requires modern information management systems capable of handling millions of records securely and accurately.

Chairman of CCB, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, acknowledged this challenge while speaking during the signing ceremony, expressing appreciation to NASENI for embracing the partnership and described the MoU as one that would significantly support the Bureau’s ongoing modernisation efforts.

According to him, administering asset declaration forms for over five million public servants remains an enormous responsibility, and digitising the process would improve accessibility, efficiency and overall service delivery. He described implementation of the MoU as a potential game changer capable of transforming how the Bureau delivers on its constitutional mandate.

Indeed, digitisation promises benefits extending beyond convenience. Electronic asset declaration systems can significantly reduce processing time, minimise human error, improve data integrity and facilitate faster retrieval of information. Digital platforms make it easier to analyze records, identify inconsistencies where necessary and maintain secure archives that are less vulnerable to deterioration or physical damage than traditional paper files.

The Federal Government’s broader digital economy agenda continues to encourage institutions to modernise service delivery through technology while improving transparency and citizen access to government services. Within this context, the NASENI-CCB partnership represents another practical step towards building digital institutions capable of responding to contemporary governance challenges.

Also lending support to the collaboration was the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Tanimu Yakubu, who commended both organisations for pursuing a partnership capable of strengthening transparency, accountability and effective governance. He observed that the Bureau’s constitutional responsibilities require modern and reliable technological systems capable of managing enormous volumes of information.

According to him, NASENI possesses the technical expertise required to support the Bureau in achieving these objectives. This intervention underscores an important reality that public financial management and accountability increasingly depend on reliable digital infrastructure. Budget implementation, expenditure monitoring, procurement systems and personnel management are today interconnected with digital technologies that enable governments to make informed decisions based on accurate and timely information.

Similarly, effective asset declaration administration requires integrated digital solutions capable of supporting verification, secure storage, authorised access and efficient records management. Beyond technology deployment, the Memorandum of Understanding also provides for capacity building and technical advisory services.

By incorporating capacity building into the partnership framework, both institutions acknowledge that technology must be complemented by skilled personnel capable of managing evolving digital systems. The collaboration also reflects increasing emphasis on inter-agency cooperation within Nigeria’s public service.

NASENI contributes engineering innovation, technology development and technical capacity. The Code of Conduct Bureau contributes constitutional responsibilities relating to ethics and accountability in public service. Together, the partnership seeks to create solutions that neither institution may have achieved independently. This collaborative approach has become increasingly evident across several initiatives championed by NASENI in recent years.

The expected digitisation of asset declaration processes will improve convenience for public officers required to comply with constitutional obligations.

Rather than relying exclusively on physical forms and manual submissions, future electronic platforms would simplify submission processes while improving communication between the Bureau and declarants.

The NASENI-CCB agreement reflects a broader national commitment to leveraging science, engineering and innovation in strengthening governance institutions. The collaboration has the potential to redefine how one of Nigeria’s most important public accountability processes is administered.

More importantly, it demonstrates that homegrown innovation is increasingly becoming central to national development strategies.

For NASENI, it reinforces its growing reputation as a catalyst for technological solutions beyond traditional engineering infrastructur. For the CCB, it offers an opportunity to strengthen constitutional responsibilities through modern digital systems.