The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced plans to formalise a strategic partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSE) to strengthen transparency, prevent corruption and support efforts to reintegrate millions of vulnerable children into Nigeria’s education system.
ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja while receiving the Executive Secretary of NCAOOSE, Mohammed Sani Idris, and his delegation during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters.
Aliyu described the out-of-school children crisis as a matter of national survival and leadership continuity, stressing that NCAOOSE plays a critical role in safeguarding Nigeria’s future.
“The issues raised by the Executive Secretary are not merely administrative; they are fundamental to the preservation of our nation’s future leadership,” Aliyu said.
Drawing from his experience as former Attorney-General of Jigawa State, he noted that keeping children in school remains a difficult but essential responsibility.
“Keeping our children in school is not optional, it is a necessity for national stability and sustainable development, Young persons must not be burdened with responsibilities beyond their years. They deserve guidance, protection and quality education,” He stated.
To translate discussions into concrete action, the ICPC chairman proposed the immediate finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies.
“We must move beyond rhetoric to action,” he said. “A formal Memorandum of Understanding will provide the framework for deploying tools such as Corruption Risk Assessment to block financial leakages and strengthen transparency within NCAOOSE’s programmes.”
Aliyu also underscored the importance of institutional integrity, adding, “Through the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and our public education initiatives, we will support NCAOOSE to deliver its mandate effectively and transparently.”
In his remarks, Idris painted a grim picture of the scale of the crisis, citing data from UNICEF which estimates that over 18.3 million children are currently out of school in Nigeria.
“These children are not just out of school; they are exposed to sexual abuse, medical neglect and other societal dangers, Street begging and child neglect are contrary to our moral values and religious teachings,” Idris said.
He stressed that corruption-related gaps in advocacy and resource allocation must be addressed urgently.
“A robust partnership with the ICPC is indispensable if we are to tackle the systemic issues undermining our interventions,” he added.
Idris further revealed that although the Commission operates about 200 learning centres and has identified more than 700,000 children for intervention, it faces severe constraints.
“We are operating under significant financial and infrastructural limitations,Without substantially increased funding, scaling up to meet the magnitude of this crisis will remain a challenge,” he said.
He appealed to the ICPC chairman to use his office to advocate improved budgetary allocations for the agency.
“We need stronger budgetary backing from the relevant authorities to effectively discharge our mandate and protect these vulnerable children,” Idris said.
Both agencies expressed commitment to sustained collaboration aimed at promoting transparency, strengthening accountability and confronting systemic drivers of the out-of-school children crisis in Nigeria.