The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission recovered more than N24bn in ghost pension funds in 2024, its Chairman, Musa Aliyu, has disclosed.
Aliyu made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Economic Confidential Lecture and National Spokespersons Award organised by Image Merchants Promotions Limited.
The ICPC chairman said the recovery was part of the commission’s efforts to tackle payroll fraud and prevent the diversion of public resources through fictitious government employees and beneficiaries.
“In 2024, we recovered over N24 billion ghost workers pension,” Aliyu said.
He also disclosed that the commission had uncovered several cases of alleged ghost workers and payroll manipulation, including an official who enrolled 14 members of his family on the government payroll.
According to Aliyu, the official was among individuals who manipulated government payroll systems to receive multiple salaries.
“We discovered that one person enrolled 14 members of his family. He lived in a religious hotel, a hotel at the public office, receiving salaries.”
The ICPC chairman said another individual allegedly enrolled his wife, daughter, son and other family members and was receiving 13 salaries.
“Another person enrolled his wife, his daughter, his son, and others and was receiving 13 salaries,” he said.
Aliyu further disclosed that the commission had identified about 900 suspected ghost workers and published their names, challenging those affected to prove that they were genuine employees.
He said the ICPC subsequently spent one year investigating the suspected ghost workers and uncovering how fictitious names were inserted into government payrolls.
“We now secured income of about 900 ghost workers, which we published their names in papers,” he said.
“We spent one year, one single year, on ghost workers.”
Explaining the methods allegedly used in the payroll fraud, Aliyu said some fictitious employees appeared in official payroll records with names and email addresses, while the bank accounts receiving the salaries were registered in the names of other individuals.
“When they insert their names, you will see their name in the payroll. You will see their email. But when you check the account number, you will see the name of the person. So, that is how these things have been done,” he explained.
The ICPC chairman warned that ghost-worker fraud could have wider financial implications for government beyond the payment of salaries.
He said fraudulent payroll entries could also create opportunities for the diversion of pensions, mortgage benefits, housing funds and health insurance.
“Because, you know, once there is a ghost worker, there is ghost pension, there is ghost mortgage, there is ghost housing fund, there is ghost health insurance,” Aliyu said.
He said the commission’s interventions were aimed at protecting public resources, reducing financial leakages and strengthening the Nigerian economy.
Aliyu also stressed the importance of preventive measures in the fight against corruption, saying the ICPC was increasingly focusing on stopping corrupt practices and ensuring that government projects were properly executed rather than relying solely on criminal prosecution.
“It is better for us to do that than to engage in filing criminal charges. How many charges can we file?” he asked.
According to him, the commission had recovered or secured government resources through interventions in public projects and other areas.
He said the ultimate objective of the ICPC was to ensure that Nigerians benefited from government expenditure and that public funds were not lost through corrupt practices.
Aliyu also called for greater use of data and technology in combating corruption, stressing that access to reliable information and effective communication remained critical to strengthening public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotions Limited, Yusha’u Shuaib, said the lecture was organised to promote stronger governance through transparency, accountability and professional communication.
Shuaib said the event brought together leaders, professionals, scholars and communication experts committed to strengthening governance and improving public communication.
“We are honoured to host yet another gathering of leaders, professionals, scholars, and communication experts committed to strengthening governance, promoting transparency, and advancing excellence in public communication,” he said.
