The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed the State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission Bill, 2026, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption at the subnational level in Nigeria.
The bill, which passed its third reading, provides for the establishment of an independent state-based anti-graft commission with powers to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.
The proposed body will operate autonomously from federal anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Under the legislation, the Commission will have wide-ranging jurisdiction covering all State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as the 21 Local Government Areas in Anambra State.
Its mandate includes investigating the diversion of public funds, contract inflation, and other financial crimes at both state and local government levels.
The Commission will also be authorised to compel Heads of MDAs and local government officials to disclose revenue and expenditure in accordance with Nigeria’s Fiscal Responsibility Law, and to recover assets linked to unexplained wealth or corrupt practices.
Speaking after the bill’s passage, Speaker of the House, Somtochukwu Udeze, praised the Chairmen of the Joint Committees on Finance and Appropriation and Public Accounts, Noble Igwe and Ejike Okechukwu, as well as other lawmakers, for what he described as their diligence and thorough legislative scrutiny.
Udeze added that beyond combating financial crimes, the proposed Commission would function as an ombudsman, providing residents of Anambra State with an institutional platform to seek redress against administrative injustice, abuse of power or oppressive conduct by state and local government officials.