The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday conducted a capacity-building workshop for senior staff members of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) on promoting integrity and curbing examination malpractice.
The two-day in-house training, themed “Building a Culture of Integrity in the Examination System in Nigeria,” was held at NABTEB’s national headquarters in Benin City.
Declaring the event open, NABTEB Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Mohammed, identified credibility, integrity, and record-keeping as the three pillars of any examination body.
He explained that the workshop was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of ethical standards and preventive mechanisms against corrupt practices in the conduct of examinations.
“There are only three key issues in any examination body – credibility, integrity, and record-keeping,” Mohammed said.
“Our individual roles in discharging responsibilities are critical. We may not achieve 100 per cent, but we must work toward it. Everyone should know what they are doing so that others can make useful input.”
The registrar commended the ICPC for its collaboration with NABTEB, describing the partnership as vital to the board’s efforts to uphold ethical conduct in all its operations.
He also lauded staff who had rejected bribe offers during previous examinations, urging others to emulate their example.
“Exams are around the corner. I want to assure you that our staff will get their travel allowances before going out for supervision,” he said.
“When people are not financially strained, it becomes difficult for anyone to lure them into malpractice. Integrity is easier to uphold when welfare is prioritised.”
Dr. Mohammed further pledged fairness and accountability in leadership, stressing his commitment to “fear God, not human beings,” in the discharge of his duties.
In his presentation, ICPC Assistant Chief Superintendent, Mr. Dennis Okoro, spoke on the topic “Offences and Punishments Under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Okoro noted that corruption posed a grave threat to Nigeria’s stability and the credibility of its educational institutions.
“Examination malpractice is not just an ethical lapse but a criminal act that jeopardises the integrity of educational assessments,” he said.
“The challenge is not only to prevent individual acts of cheating but also to safeguard the entire examination process — from setting and administration to grading and certification.”
He explained that examination malpractice encompassed all forms of misconduct by candidates or officials that violated established rules before, during, or after examinations.
Okoro urged NABTEB staff to champion transparency and strengthen internal systems to build a sustainable culture of integrity that discourages malpractice at all levels.
