The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has emerged as the highest-ranked public institution in Nigeria in the 2023 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) released by the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW).
The index, which assessed 511 MDAs and public sector institutions on their level of transparency and accountability in government processes, was produced by the (CeFTIW) in collaboration with the Bureau for Public Sector Reform, with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
To retain its first position, DBN scored 73.26%, moving up from the 58.74% it scored in 2022, a testament to the bank’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and proactive partnerships.
Speaking at the public presentation of the transparency and integrity index, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, pointed out that “proactive disclosure of information as enshrined in the Freedom of Information Act seeks to enable public institutions to adopt a proactive stance in disclosing information to the public”.
The SGF, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Mr. Maurice Mbaeri, at the forum, described access to information as “a powerful tool that empowers citizens to request and access government-held information”, these “tools are essential to reinforce good governance as it enhances openness and accountability”.
Similarly, the Chairman of the CeFTIW Board of Trustees, Amb. Angela Nworgu, explained that the centre introduced the TII as an annual assessment of public institutions’ compliance with national laws and international conventions that promote transparency, and accountability, as well as, minimize corruption.
She said: “The Index was developed to strengthen already existing fiscal transparency legal frameworks, institutional capacity on the requirement of these frameworks and most importantly build a well-informed citizenry that holds the government accountable.”
Commenting on the bank’s top ranking on the TII, the Managing Director/CEO, of the bank, Dr. Tony Okpanachi, expressed the management’s delight at the report, describing the ranking as a reflection of the company’s corporate governance, ethics and processes.
The banker enthused: “Once more, the recent CeFTIW ranking highlights our commitment to upholding strong corporate governance practices and fostering transparent and excellent relationships with our various stakeholders, strategic partners, and clients.”
