The Federal Government has begun developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven platform to tackle corruption by instantly verifying assets declared by public officers and flagging unexplained wealth.
The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Dr Abubakar Bello, disclosed that the bureau is at an advanced stage of creating a fully digital asset declaration system, expected to go live in the first quarter of 2026.
Bello, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, said the new platform would allow public servants to declare their assets online from anywhere in the world, replacing the current manual process which, he noted, only addressed accessibility without effective verification.
According to him, the AI-powered system will be integrated with key national databases, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Bank Verification Number platform, land registries and other relevant government records for instant cross-checking.
He described the initiative as a “game changer,” noting that Artificial Intelligence would be deployed to analyse asset declarations by comparing the net worth of public officers at the beginning and end of their tenure.
“The system will automatically flag cases of unexplained wealth or possible breaches of the Code of Conduct for further action,” Bello said.
As part of reforms underway, the CCB chairman confirmed that ministers, permanent secretaries and other senior public officials have begun appearing before the bureau for physical asset verification, stressing that “verification is not investigation.”
He revealed that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, had personally appeared for asset verification, describing the move as a strong demonstration of leadership by example.
Bello added that the verification exercise had already resulted in interim forfeiture orders in cases where public officers failed to declare assets or could not explain their sources, including properties located within and outside Nigeria.
He disclosed that some of the recovered funds had been paid into the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The CCB chairman warned that any public servant who fails to declare assets or ignores verification invitations risks investigation and prosecution before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
He urged public officers to comply strictly with the bureau’s guiding principle, declaring, “Declare or forfeit.”
