Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered 908 suspected fake workers across at least 50 federal ministries, departments, and agencies in a massive payroll fraud investigation that has exposed widespread manipulation of Nigeria's public service salary system. The anti-graft agency said it recovered approximately N942 million allegedly linked to fraudulent salary payments made to fictitious employees, with the Nigeria Police Force accounting for the highest number of suspected ghost workers at 570.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu, who disclosed the findings on July 22, 2026, said the investigation was launched in 2024 after the commission detected irregularities in pension payments, leading to a nationwide probe that uncovered systematic payroll manipulation. According to Aliyu, the investigation revealed that some senior public officials exploited the system by enrolling their relatives and associates as government workers to illegally receive salaries. In one particularly alarming case, investigators found a suspect who allegedly placed the names of his wife, son, and mother-in-law on the government payroll while also collecting the salaries of 12 other fictitious workers.
The Nigeria Police Force topped the list of affected institutions with 570 suspected fake workers, representing more than 60 per cent of the total uncovered. The National Water Resources Authority followed with 80 ghost workers, while the Federal Ministry of Works recorded 56. Other affected institutions include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24 suspected fake workers, the Ministry of Defence with 19, and both the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with 17 cases each. The Federal Ministry of Health had 15 suspected fake workers, while the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recorded 12. The ICPC chairman further disclosed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior were also implicated in the ongoing investigation, although the commission withheld the number of suspected fake workers linked to those institutions as inquiries continue.
The commission described fake workers as individuals whose names are fraudulently inserted into government payrolls despite not being legitimate employees, a practice it said continues to undermine transparency and accountability in public service. Aliyu explained that the probe exposed widespread payroll manipulation, with fictitious names allegedly inserted into government salary systems to siphon public funds. The ICPC said investigations are still ongoing and additional findings may emerge as the probe progresses.
The revelation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Nigeria's public service payroll systems, with the federal government previously uncovering hundreds of ghost workers on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform. The ICPC's investigation adds to growing concerns over systemic corruption in the management of public funds and the urgent need for stronger accountability measures across all tiers of government. The commission has assured Nigerians that those found culpable in the payroll fraud will face prosecution in accordance with the law as the investigation continues.
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