Nigerian Airspace Agency Earns High Marks for Ethics Compliance, But Challenges Remain
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has secured a 76.5% compliance score in the 2024 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), an annual assessment conducted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The rating, which reflects substantial adherence to ethical and integrity standards, positions NAMA among the better-performing federal agencies in Nigeria’s ongoing drive for institutional transparency.
In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, the ICPC confirmed NAMA’s performance in a post-deployment letter dated 6 February 2025. The letter stated: “Sequel to the deployment, scoring, and ratings of assessed MDAs, your documents were analysed, and your agency had a score of 76.5%, which connotes substantial compliance on the EICS and a non-existent status in the AEI (ACTU Effectiveness Index).”
NAMA’s Managing Director, Umar Ahmed Farouk, welcomed the report, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to financial integrity and institutional accountability. “We appreciate this recognition from the ICPC as an integrity watchdog. At NAMA, we adhere to professional standards and ensure transparency in all our processes. Safety is sacrosanct, and we uphold a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption,” Farouk said. He further noted that the agency remains committed to improving its integrity rating in alignment with global best practices, particularly the Key Performance Indicators outlined in the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Standards and Recommended Practices.
NAMA’s 76.5% score underscores its efforts to foster an ethical working environment, yet challenges remain. The agency did not register on the ICPC’s ACTU Effectiveness Index, a critical measure of how well internal anti-corruption units function within federal institutions. The absence of a rating in this category suggests that while compliance is strong, further work may be needed to institutionalise internal accountability mechanisms.
The ICPC launched the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard in 2019 as part of its broader campaign to promote transparency and efficiency in public service. The initiative evaluates federal agencies on compliance with financial regulations and service delivery standards, aiming to curb corruption and inefficiency.
Despite its strong performance, NAMA’s journey towards full compliance is far from over. The agency must now focus on strengthening its internal anti-corruption frameworks to ensure that its commitment to ethics translates into sustained institutional reform. As Nigeria continues its fight against corruption, the role of regulatory bodies like NAMA in upholding transparency will remain under scrutiny.
About The Author
