By Abdullahi Usman Bello | It is with great delight and a deep sense of honour that I join you to deliver this goodwill message on the occasion of the graduation of the second cohort of the Policy Writing Fellowship and the official unveiling of the Local Governance Accountability (LGA) Portal.
First, allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the more than twenty fellows who have successfully completed this intensive four-month training programme. Your dedication, intellectual rigour, and the policy papers you have produced under the guidance of your supervisors are truly commendable. You represent the kind of thoughtful, evidence-driven leadership Nigeria needs as we work to build stronger institutions and improve the lives of our citizens.
I also commend Agora Policy, with the generous support of the MacArthur Foundation, for this visionary initiative. Your commitment to strengthening an evidence-driven, inclusive, and robust approach to policymaking and policy engagement is both timely and impactful.
The LGA Portal, which provides free access to financial allocations to local councils from 1999 to date, together with council profiles and the names of elected officials, is a powerful instrument for promoting transparency and accountability at the grassroots level. The LGA database is particularly important to the Code of Conduct Bureau. At the Code of Conduct Bureau, we firmly believe that sustainable national development and the fight against corruption must begin with strong, accountable local governance. This portal will empower citizens, researchers, journalists, and civic actors to monitor public resources and demand better service delivery — directly supporting our collective efforts to entrench integrity and ethical conduct in public service.
As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen integrity and accountability in public service, the Code of Conduct Bureau has completed verification of asset declarations for high-risk public servants. This exercise covered 19 Ministers, 37 Permanent Secretaries, 20 Heads of Agencies, and 32 other high-risk officials.
I am also pleased to announce that our Online Asset and Liabilities Declaration System is now 100% developed and ready for deployment and testing. This platform will hold the asset declaration database of all public servants in Nigeria. We welcome partnerships that enhance responsible public access to relevant governance data without compromising the privacy and security of declarants.
As part of our enforcement drive, the Bureau has also secured the forfeiture of several assets, including a property in London. We have referred numerous cases to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and just yesterday we arraigned the Chief of Staff to a State Governor before the Tribunal. These actions demonstrate our firm resolve to hold public officers accountable regardless of their position or status.
To the graduating fellows, I encourage you to carry forward the spirit of inquiry, integrity, and public service in all your future endeavours. The knowledge, skills, and networks you have gained here should be deployed to address our nation’s challenges and to strengthen governance at every level. To the organisers, I express my profound appreciation for the kind invitation and for the excellent work you continue to do in advancing Nigeria’s policy landscape. The Code of Conduct Bureau remains open to productive partnerships in the pursuit of good governance, transparency, and accountability.
Once again, congratulations to the fellows. I wish you every success as you step forward to contribute meaningfully to our nation’s development.
Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, the Executive Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), delivered this goodwill message at the event by Agora Policy on 25 June 2026
