NABTEB Registrar Hosts Edo ICPC Commissioner, Seeks Stronger Collaboration To Safeguard Exam Integrity, Promote Skills Development

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BENIN – The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, has called for closer collaboration between NABTEB and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The collaboration, NABTEB CEO said, is to strengthen examination integrity, combat malpractice, and promote a culture of accountability and skills development in Nigeria.

Dr. Mohammed made the call while receiving the Edo State Resident Commissioner of the ICPC, Barrister Ebenezer Adenekan Shogunle, and his delegation on a courtesy visit to the NABTEB national headquarters in Benin City, the State capital.

Welcoming the delegation, the NABTEB Registrar expressed appreciation for the Commission’s continued engagement with the Board and described the visit as a demonstration of the shared commitment of both institutions to transparency, integrity, and good governance.

“I warmly welcome the Resident Commissioner and his team to NABTEB. We appreciate the support and cooperation we have continued to receive from the ICPC.

Your team has visited us on different occasions at both management and staff levels, and we value the guidance and partnership that have emerged from those engagements,” Dr. Mohammed said.

NABTEB Chief Executive Officer noted that expectations from stakeholders remain high and pledged his determination to strengthen the Board’s systems and processes in line with best practices.

He disclosed that NABTEB has continued to intensify efforts to combat examination malpractice through enhanced monitoring mechanisms and intelligence-driven interventions.

According to him, the Board has introduced malpractice reporting forms for monitoring officers and is deploying technology-based monitoring tools, including GPS-enabled cameras, to improve oversight during examinations and ensure greater accountability among field officials.”We are strengthening our examination monitoring architecture.

Through the deployment of GPS-enabled monitoring devices, we can verify the locations of our officers during examinations and improve the credibility of our monitoring processes,” Dr. Mohammed stated.

The Registrar further revealed that the Board recently thwarted an attempted examination malpractice operation at a technical college through proactive intelligence gathering and strategic deployment of senior officials.

Dr. Mohammed stressed that examination malpractice constitutes a serious breach of public trust and should attract appropriate sanctions in accordance with established laws and regulations.

He called on the ICPC to support NABTEB through regular sensitization programmes aimed at educating staff, examination officials, and other stakeholders on the legal implications and consequences of corrupt practices and examination fraud.

“Our staff need a better understanding of the mandate of the ICPC and the consequences of engaging in malpractice. Examination malpractice is a gross misconduct, and where necessary, offenders should be handed over to law enforcement agencies for appropriate action.

We need your support in creating greater awareness and strengthening compliance,” he said.

The Registrar also highlighted ongoing efforts by the Board to build institutional capacity through continuous staff development and training, noting that following every major examination exercise, NABTEB undertakes performance reviews to identify areas for improvement and equip personnel with the skills required to deliver efficiently.

According to him, the Board recently facilitated training programmes for more than twenty drivers and continues to invest in human capital development across all cadres of staff.

Dr. Mohammed further called for collaboration between NABTEB and the ICPC in advancing national advocacy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), emphasizing the need to shift societal focus from paper qualifications to practical competencies and employable skills.

“One of the campaigns we would like the ICPC to join us in promoting is skills development.

As a nation, we must begin to place greater emphasis on what individuals can do rather than merely the certificates they possess. Skills acquisition and competency-based education are critical to national development and economic self-reliance,” he stated.

He reiterated NABTEB’s statutory responsibility for the coordination, assessment, certification, and verification of technical and business education qualifications, adding that stronger inter-agency cooperation would further enhance the Board’s ability to deliver on its mandate.

Earlier, the Edo State Resident Commissioner of the ICPC, Barrister Ebenezer Adenekan Shogunle, commended Dr. Mohammed for his transformative leadership at NABTEB and reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to partner with the Board in promoting integrity and accountability.

According to him, the visit was aimed at strengthening institutional synergy and reaffirming the shared responsibility of both organisations in building a corruption-free society.”We are here to build institutional synergy and reaffirm our joint responsibility in promoting integrity and accountability.

This visit is an opportunity to strengthen our partnership with NABTEB, particularly in areas relating to examination integrity and ethical conduct,” Barrister Shogunle said.

The Commissioner noted that the ICPC had identified examination integrity as a critical area requiring sustained attention, given the strategic role examination bodies play in shaping the nation’s educational and professional standards.

Expressing confidence in the leadership of Dr. Mohammed, he urged the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer to continue pursuing reforms that would strengthen transparency and public confidence in the Board’s operations.”Integrity is at the heart of our campaign.

We believe the public expects every institution to do the right thing, and we are encouraged by the commitment demonstrated by the new leadership of NABTEB,” he stated.

Barrister Shogunle explained that the mandate of the ICPC encompasses corruption prevention, enforcement, public enlightenment, and collaboration with government agencies to entrench accountability in public service.

He assured NABTEB of the Commission’s continued support in areas of anti-corruption sensitization, capacity building, and institutional strengthening.

The visit concluded with both institutions expressing commitment to sustained collaboration aimed at safeguarding examination credibility, promoting ethical conduct, strengthening public confidence, and advancing national development through quality technical and vocational education.