Nigeria's anti-corruption campaign has recorded another major breakthrough as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) uncovered 908 suspected ghost workers across federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), recovering about ₦942 million in fraudulent salary payments. The findings emerged from an extensive payroll verification exercise covering at least 50 federal institutions.
The investigation revealed that the Nigeria Police Force recorded the highest number of suspected ghost workers, with approximately 570 names identified on its payroll, highlighting persistent weaknesses in public sector payroll administration despite ongoing government reforms.
Police Top List of Payroll Fraud Cases
According to ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu (SAN), the commission's investigation exposed widespread payroll manipulation involving fake employees and individuals who were never legitimately employed by the Federal Government.
Besides the Nigeria Police Force, other agencies with significant numbers of suspected ghost workers include:
- National Water Resources Authority – 80
- Federal Ministry of Works – 56
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 24
- Ministry of Defence – 19
- Ministry of Power – 17
- Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment – 17
- Federal Ministry of Health – 15
- Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation – 12
The ICPC noted that investigations involving the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior are still ongoing.
How the Fraud Was Carried Out
The anti-graft agency explained that ghost workers are fictitious individuals illegally placed on government payrolls to receive salaries. In some instances, public officials allegedly inserted names of relatives or associates into payroll systems and diverted the monthly salaries.
One investigation reportedly uncovered a suspect who placed the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law on the government payroll while simultaneously collecting salaries meant for twelve other workers.
Why the Discovery Matters
The latest payroll audit demonstrates that despite the introduction of digital salary management systems such as the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), payroll fraud remains a serious financial challenge.
Experts say eliminating ghost workers will:
- Reduce government waste.
- Save billions of naira annually.
- Improve transparency in public finance.
- Strengthen accountability across MDAs.
- Free more resources for education, healthcare, infrastructure and security.
ICPC Continues Anti-Corruption Efforts
The commission says payroll verification remains one of its major anti-corruption strategies aimed at sanitising government institutions and protecting public funds.
Officials responsible for payroll manipulation risk prosecution under Nigeria's anti-corruption laws as investigations continue into the affected agencies. The ICPC also urged government institutions to strengthen personnel verification processes, adopt regular biometric audits and improve internal controls to prevent future payroll fraud.
The recovery of ₦942 million represents another significant step in Nigeria's campaign against corruption and financial leakages within the public service. However, governance experts believe stronger digital verification systems, continuous payroll audits and strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws remain essential to permanently eliminate ghost workers from government payrolls.
As investigations continue, Nigerians will be watching closely to see whether those responsible are prosecuted and whether the reforms lead to lasting improvements in public sector accountability.
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