Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) was established in 2000 as Nigeria's second major anti-corruption agency, operating alongside the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Created under President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration through the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, the ICPC was given broad powers to investigate and prosecute corruption cases involving public officials. The commission focuses particularly on preventing corruption in government institutions and prosecuting offenses related to gratification and abuse of office.

The creation of the ICPC reflected growing domestic and international pressure on Nigeria to address widespread corruption that had plagued the country since independence. During the military era, particularly under successive military governments, corruption had become deeply entrenched in Nigerian institutions, undermining economic development and public trust. The return to civilian rule in 1999 created an opportunity for institutional reforms, with anti-corruption efforts becoming central to the new democratic government's legitimacy and Nigeria's efforts to improve its international standing.