THE National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has emerged as the most transparent public institution in Nigeria in the 2025 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII).
The report unveiled in Abuja, on Tuesday, September 30, by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), NOSDRA led all 575 assessed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with a score of 78.84 per cent.
The agency was followed by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (78.21 per cent) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (78.13 per cent).
Most federal institutions scored poorly in the report, with many falling below the 50 per cent benchmark for average on openness, accountability, and compliance with statutory disclosure requirements.
According to the Centre, the index was conceived to strengthen integrity mechanisms in Nigeria’s public sector by assessing whether MDAs publish vital information on their websites and portals as required by law.
The assessment focused on five key variables namely financial transparency, procurement, human resources and inclusion, control of corruption, and citizen engagement, with each attracting 20 per cent.
Top and bottom performers
A review of the report showed that out of 575 public institutions assessed, only six crossed the 50 per cent average threshold.
Beyond the earlier listed agencies, Development Bank of Nigeria (62.60 per cent) Tertiary Education Trust Fund (54.12 per cent) and Bank of Industry (51.29 per cent) were ranked 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.
Conversely, over 400 institutions scored within the range of 36 and 10 per cent, with no evidence of publishing basic governance information online.
More alarming was that about 100 institutions recorded below 10 while nine institutions scored zero.
This means that they failed to publish any of the required information on budgets, procurement, staffing, or anti-corruption policies.
Many of these included federal colleges, polytechnics, teaching hospitals, and river basin authorities.
For instance, Nigerian Coal Corporation, Federal Government staff Housing Loans Board, Federal Medical Centre Katsina, Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga, Hadrian-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, and Metallurgical Training Institute Onitsha scored zero in the ranking.
Also, key ministries fared poorly. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development were graded zero.
The Ministry of Power (21.0 per cent), the Ministry of Works and Housing (14.50 per cent), Ministry of Health (14.50 per cent), and Ministry of Defence (14.50 per cent) ranked low, which further highlighted persistent opacity in sectors critical to Nigeria’s development.
Legal obligations ignored
While presenting the report, the Executive Director of the Centre, Umar Yakubu, noted that public institutions are statutorily required under the Fiscal Responsibility Act (2007), the Freedom of Information Act (2011), and the Public Procurement Act (2007) to publish information such as budgets, procurement details, recruitment policies, audit reports, and anti-corruption frameworks.
According to him, while transparency is a vital principle of good governance, the findings show widespread disregard for binding statutes, with most institutions failing to meet even basic disclosure obligations.
Yakubu added that the 2025 Index revealed that despite government rhetoric on openness, Nigerian citizens continued to face barriers in accessing information about how public funds are allocated and spent.
The Centre urged all MDAs to align with Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) Action Plan and ensure that transparency is embedded in day-to-day governance.
On his part, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dasuki Arabi, while delivering his welcome address described the Transparency and Integrity Index as one of Nigeria’s most vital platforms for promoting accountability in public service.
He explained that the parameters employed were in line with the National Strategy for Public Service Reforms (NSPSR 2021–2025) and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
Arabi noted that the Index complemented the work of anti-graft bodies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and aligned with Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
While acknowledging the support of development partners such as the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), Arabi urged MDAs to embrace transparency as a core governance principle rather than treat it as a compliance exercise.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M