President Bola Tinubu has approved a substantial increase in the budget for the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), raising it from approximately ₦3 billion to nearly ₦20 billion. This significant funding boost was announced by Abubakar Bello, the CCB Chairman, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
Bello stated that the budget increase is intended to modernize the nation’s outdated asset declaration system, enhance verification and enforcement, and improve the bureau’s overall effectiveness. He highlighted the necessity of this funding to facilitate technological upgrades, provide a better working environment, and strengthen verification processes.
Upon taking office, Bello discovered that asset declarations were predominantly handled through manual systems, relying heavily on paper forms that were expensive and difficult to manage. Public servants across various ministries frequently requested numerous forms, which the bureau struggled to supply, exacerbated by a mere ₦70 million allocation for printing in the 2025 budget.
To alleviate some of these challenges, the bureau adapted a temporary solution inspired by Kenya, allowing public servants to download asset declaration forms from its website. However, this merely addressed the availability issue without resolving deeper systemic problems.
Bello revealed that the bureau is in advanced stages of developing a fully online asset declaration platform, anticipated to launch in the first quarter of 2026. This platform is expected to enable public servants to declare assets from anywhere globally and will integrate with essential governmental databases for instant verification.
He described the new digital system as a “game changer,” emphasizing its connection to databases like the Corporate Affairs Commission and Federal Inland Revenue Service. The incorporation of artificial intelligence will also assist in analyzing asset declarations and identifying unexplained wealth.
As part of the reform, the bureau has begun inviting high-level officials for asset verification, underscoring that this verification process is not an investigation. Bello noted that the Attorney-General of the Federation has participated in this verification, setting a strong precedent for leadership.
The CCB’s efforts have already led to interim forfeiture orders against public servants who failed to declare assets or justify their sources, with some recovered funds transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria. Bello warned that non-compliance with asset declaration could trigger investigations and potential prosecution, urging public servants to adhere to the principle: “Declare or Forfeit.”
