The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Abdullahi Bello, announced that the agency is nearing the completion of a new digital asset and liability declaration system.

This new platform is designed to eliminate bureaucratic delays, significantly boost transparency, and strengthen anti-corruption controls across the public service.

Speaking at a validation workshop for the system held on Tuesday in Abuja, Bello asserted that the platform would ultimately end the prolonged “old story” of paper-based declarations that were rarely analysed or effectively utilised as tools to combat illicit enrichment.
He stated, “The old story must end. For too long, asset declaration has been seen as a bureaucratic ritual—forms hurriedly filled and forgotten, rarely analysed and rarely used as the powerful anti-corruption tool it was meant to be. This ends with the new ALDS.”

Bello expressed firm confidence in the initiative’s impact on accountability. He asked, “Will Nigeria finally have a world-class, corruption-resistant asset declaration system that serves both public servants and the Nigerian people? My answer, and I believe yours, is a resounding YES!”

The Chairman also stressed the importance of stakeholder involvement in the final design. He insisted, “This system belongs to you. No technology succeeds without the trust and ownership of its users. That is why these two days have been designed around you — the stakeholders. Your voice will shape the final ALDS.”

According to the Chairman, this technology-driven platform is designed to enable the real-time verification of public officers’ assets. It will achieve this by linking multiple national databases, including data from the Corporate Affairs Commission, various land registries, and financial institutions.

He pointed out that the new system would also assist the Bureau in significantly reducing its historical dependence on direct government funding.

To ensure the system’s sustainability, Bello announced the introduction of a graded service fee structure. This fee would apply to political office holders and senior public servants, while waivers would be provided for junior staff and those unable to afford the payment.

Bello explained the financial reform, saying, “Today’s focus is on two key areas. The first is sustainability. We want a system where we don’t have to depend on the budget.” He elaborated on the proposed fee, adding, “We want an honest fee that is graded, with waivers for low-level public servants. We want to free ourselves from the burden of budget dependency.”

The Chairman clarified that this critical reform builds directly on the foundational work of the CCB’s existing Forensic Accounting Unit, which currently focuses on analysing declarations made by former public officers.

He further added that the new digital system would greatly enhance the Bureau’s capacity to automatically detect any undeclared companies, properties, and income streams belonging to public servants.

Bello highlighted the system’s automated capabilities: “By integrating with available databases, we will be able to discover assets in real time. You won’t need to tell us every property or company you own. The system will show it.”

Describing the initiative as a major leap forward in Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign, Bello confidently stated that the launch of the digital system would be “a game changer” for accountability across the public office sector.

Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, also spoke at the event. He commended the Bureau’s progress and its efforts to modernise operations, specifically praising the proposal for a more sustainable funding model.

Senator Imasuen voiced his longstanding concern over the agency’s historical struggle to fund basic administrative processes, such as simply printing the paper asset declaration forms.

He reflected on the old process, stating, “I have always wondered why CCB wakes up in the morning and looks for funds all over the place to print forms so you and I can fill them out for free.” He then stressed the need for change, adding, “It bothers me, and I couldn’t just understand it. It’s time we depart from this. We can pay a nominal amount for the form you’re coming to fill so the Bureau does not keep begging for funds to do what it ought to be doing.”

The Senator assured the CCB of the National Assembly’s unwavering support in securing adequate funding necessary for the Bureau to effectively carry out its anti-corruption mandate.

It was previously reported by The PUNCH that the CCB has historically relied on a paper-based asset declaration system, which has been widely criticised for inefficiency, poor data analysis, and significant vulnerability to abuse. The new digital system is expected to become fully operational following the conclusion of the ongoing validation, review, and harmonisation sessions with various stakeholders.