The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDa) have renewed their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening anti-corruption initiatives and asset recovery efforts across Africa.
The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday at the ICPC Headquarters in Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2025 International Anti-Corruption Day.
The Chairman of ICPC Musa Adamu Aliyu welcomed the Executive Director of CoDa Souad Osman-Aden, and Ambassador Maxwell Mkwezalamba, Senior Adviser to CoDa, and underscored the importance of the renewed collaboration.
In her remarks Osman-Aden expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded the delegation, noting that the coalition continues to grow with increased support from African countries.
She explained that CoDa focuses on bringing together individuals with proven track records to bridge critical gaps in the fight against corruption.
“We are renewing this MoU to continue to support the continent in the fight against corruption,” she said.
“We were previously in this room to validate processes for combating illicit financial flows (IFFs). We are ensuring that members of the coalition are experienced and committed to the wellbeing of Africa.”
Also speaking, Ambassador Maxwell Mkwezalamba thanked the ICPC Chairman for hosting the delegation and expressed optimism about the future of the partnership.
In his response, the ICPC chairman said the renewed partnership reflects ICPC’s strong commitment to continental development; disclosing that he currently chairs the Steering Committee of the Africa Asset Recovery Practitioners’ Forum (AARP-F), which is working to strengthen anti-corruption frameworks across African countries.
“The MoU we are signing is a practical framework for capacity building in addressing the challenges confronting Africa,” Dr. Aliyu stated. “ICPC has been exploring ways to recover stolen assets and deploy them for Africa’s development. We are also considering how recovered artefacts can be harnessed to develop both the continent and our nation.”
He raised concerns about cultural heritage, asking: “How can we bring back our heritage instead of paying foreigners to view our own history and roots?”
Aliyu stressed the need for collective responsibility in tackling corruption, adding that challenges faced by any African country should be treated as a shared continental concern.
He requested regular virtual engagements with CoDa to ensure sustained collaboration and called on participating countries to make concrete commitments to the partnership.
“The MoU is a commitment to progress, and development is a shared responsibility,” he said. “I hope this MoU will open doors for deeper cooperation and tangible results.”
Areas of Cooperation under the Renewed MoU to focus on:
- Asset recovery and repatriation of stolen African resources
- Combating illicit financial flows (IFFs)
- Capacity building and knowledge sharing
- Cultural heritage preservation and recovery
- Coordinated continental response to corruption
- Regular virtual engagements to monitor progress
The signing of the MoU is considered historic as it follows the recent passage of the Asset Recovery Bill and builds on earlier collaborations between ICPC and CoDa in validating processes to combat illicit financial flows.
Both organisations expressed confidence that the renewed partnership would contribute significantly to Africa’s development by ensuring that recovered assets and cultural artefacts are deployed for the benefit of African people.
(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
