The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered 908 suspected ghost workers across at least 50 federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with the Nigeria Police Force accounting for the highest number of suspected fraudulent entries. The anti-corruption agency also disclosed that it has recovered about ₦942 million in alleged fraudulent salary payments as investigations continue.
ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) said the investigation, which began in 2024, exposed widespread payroll manipulation involving the insertion of fictitious names into government payroll systems to divert public funds. According to him, investigators identified 570 suspected ghost workers within the Nigeria Police Force, followed by the National Water Resources Authority with 80, the Federal Ministry of Works with 56, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24, and the Ministry of Defence with 19.
The commission further alleged that some public officials enrolled relatives and associates on government payrolls to receive salaries illegally. Aliyu cited one case in which a suspect allegedly placed the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while also collecting salaries for 12 other fictitious workers. Investigations into the affected institutions are ongoing, and no final judicial findings have yet been made regarding individual culpability.
The revelations have renewed concerns over weaknesses in Nigeria’s public financial management and payroll systems despite years of reforms, including the introduction of biometric verification and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The persistence of ghost workers continues to divert scarce public resources away from essential public services such as healthcare, education, infrastructure and workers’ welfare.
The scale of the alleged payroll fraud highlights the urgent need for stronger public accountability, transparent auditing and democratic oversight of public institutions. Recovering stolen funds is important, but preventing future abuses requires closing systemic loopholes, strengthening independent anti-corruption institutions and ensuring that public resources are directed towards improving the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians rather than enriching a few individuals through institutional corruption.
