By Najeeb Sani
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has charged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to translate the findings of the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) into concrete improvements in their operations to strengthen accountability and public trust.
Akume gave the charge in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the presentation of the 2026 TII, jointly conducted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI).
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains committed to open, accountable and responsible governance, stressing that public institutions must ensure their policies, programmes and actions are transparent, visible and understandable to Nigerians.
He noted that the Index has become a vital instrument for assessing openness and ethical standards across government institutions, while providing MDAs with clear benchmarks to identify areas of strength and gaps requiring improvement.
The SGF urged heads of MDAs to integrate the findings and indicators of the Index into strategic planning, performance management, budget priorities, procurement processes, staff training and digital disclosure rather than allow the report to become another unused document.
He emphasised that transparency should be viewed as an institutional asset rather than an administrative burden, adding that integrity must be embedded in the procedures and culture of public institutions through clear policies, proper record-keeping, effective oversight and ethical leadership.
Akume further tasked MDAs to leverage technology by ensuring their websites and data portals provide accurate, timely and user-friendly information, including current budget, contract and service information to enable citizens to engage government and track utilisation of public resources.
He also applauded the BPSR for its sustained efforts and reforms in driving transparency and accountability in the public service.
Earlier, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Mr. Dasuki Arabi, said the TII has since its inception in 2021 become a practical tool for translating principles of openness and accountability into measurable and actionable standards across public institutions.
Arabi said the 2026 methodology evaluates over 500 federal and state institutions across five thematic pillars – Fiscal Transparency, Open Procurement and Contracting, Human Resources and Inclusion, Control of Corruption and Citizens Engagement.
He said the pillars are grounded in Nigerian laws including the Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, Fiscal Responsibility Act, Public Procurement Act and Executive Order No. 001 of 2017, as well as international commitments such as the UN Convention Against Corruption and Open Government Partnership.
“The motive behind this Index is not punitive nor to name and shame MDAs that fail to proactively disclose public information; it is developmental, and designed to help MDAs identify gaps, benchmark performance and prioritize reforms that improve service delivery and public confidence,” Arabi said.
He called on MDAs and state governments to align their governance and digital disclosure practices with the methodology handbook, designate focal persons for transparency and invest in digital infrastructure.
