The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has conducted a two-day intensive anti-corruption training for its senior management staff and the Project Management Unit (PMU).

The training, themed "Strengthening Integrity and Accountability in Rural Electrification Project Delivery," was organized in line with the African Development Bank (AfDB) recommendations for implementing the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) and focused on reinforcing ethical standards and strengthening anti-corruption measures throughout procurement processes and project delivery.

Speaking at the opening, REA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abba Aliyu described integrity and transparency as fundamental to the Agency's mandate. He noted that deploying technology to monitor, document, and account for project expenditures has been a priority under his leadership.

"As we implement some of the country's largest rural electrification projects, we must operate a transparent system that guarantees accountability at every stage. We leverage technology to ensure that every fund spent on project implementation can be accounted for seamlessly," he said.

The AfDB Task Team Lead for the Nigeria Electrification Project, Engr. Chigoziri Egeruoh, noted that the training was a Bank recommendation intended to reinforce accountability and build stakeholder confidence in the implementation of AfDB-funded projects. He commended the REA-NEP-AfDB Project Implementation Team for their professionalism and commitment throughout the project.

"At the African Development Bank, we remain committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and trust in all projects financed by the Bank," he said.

Taiwo Kunle Olawoyin, Senior Procurement Specialist for the AfDB-funded NEP, presented an overview of the Bank's Integrity and Anti-Corruption Framework (PIAC) and reiterated REA's zero-tolerance policy toward corruption. He highlighted the framework's role in setting procurement standards for borrowing countries and noted that the training met a key PIAC requirement for implementing agencies to collaborate with national anti-corruption institutions to build institutional integrity systems.

The Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme, Olufemi Akinyelure, commended the facilitators and urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to strengthen transparency and accountability across all electrification initiatives.

The key experts from ACAN-ICPC, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) delivered technical presentations on global best practices in integrity management, conflict of interest, ethical leadership, and transparent procurement. The sessions also provided an interactive platform for participants to engage with practical challenges to transparency and effective project delivery.