Two leading civil society organizations, African Centre for Human Advancement and Resource Support (CHARS-Africa) and the Godiya Women Education and Sustainable Development Initiative, have called on all 36 state governments to urgently replicate and fully implement the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) across sub-national levels.
The organisations issued the call following the conclusion of a 2-Day National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) Replication and Peer-Learning Workshop held from 13 to 14 November 2025.
According to the Executive Director, CHARS-Africa, Barr. Amaka Biachi, and Godiya Women Education and Sustainable Development Initiative, Barr. (Mrs.) Uchechi Dibiaezue, the event was convened under the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Justice.
NACS is Nigeria’s central policy framework aimed at promoting transparency, improving accountability within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and addressing systemic weaknesses that fuel corruption. While the national framework exists, only a handful of states have replicated or operationalised the strategy at the sub-national level.
Participants at the workshop included representatives from Offices of the Heads of Service, State Ministries of Justice, anti-corruption agencies, and MDAs from across all 36 states, as well as RoLAC focal states such as Abia, Abuja, Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Lagos, and Plateau.
Stakeholders used the forum to share practical experiences, examine progress in states where NACS has already been adopted, and identify barriers to full implementation.
Delivering the opening remarks, RoLAC Component Manager, Dr. Emma Uche, emphasized the importance of coordinated, nationwide efforts in tackling corruption.
He described the implementation of NACS across all layers of government as ‘a national imperative, not an option’.
The Lead Consultant for the workshop, Prof. Ada Chidi-Igbokwe, presented detailed insights into the strategic value of NACS replication, outlining key benefits such as strengthened institutional systems, improved service delivery, and increased public trust.
Representatives from Adamawa, Anambra, and Kano States delivered presentations highlighting their successes and challenges in domesticating NACS.
They pointed to notable achievements such as improved reporting systems, the creation of state-level anti-corruption action plans, and emerging partnerships between government and civil society.
They also identified concerns, including resource constraints, weak coordination structures, and inadequate political will in some jurisdictions.
Their experiences underscored the urgency for other states, particularly those yet to begin the process, to take immediate action.
In a joint statement, CHARS-Africa and Godiya Women Education and Sustainable Development Initiative praised RoLAC’s work under Component 3 and urged states, especially Abia State, to accelerate NACS replication and ensure implementation reaches both state and local government structures.
’Replicating the National Anti-Corruption Strategy at the sub-national level is essential for strengthening governance, reducing leakages, and improving service delivery for citizens’, the statement said.
The groups stressed that without uniform adoption across the country, Nigeria risks maintaining fragmented and ineffective anti-corruption mechanisms.
CHARS-Africa, Godiya Women call on states to replicate national anti-corruption strategy
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