As Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited marks its 13th anniversary, it has chosen a theme and a speaker that reflect Africa’s most pressing developmental challenge — the security of its digital and financial frontiers.
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, will headline this year’s Realnews Anniversary Lecture, delivering a keynote address on “Cybersecurity, Illicit Financial Flows and Achieving Agenda 2063 in Africa.”
The lecture is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Dr. Aliyu’s acceptance to speak at the landmark event was first conveyed to Realnews in March 2025. In his response to a follow-up message from the magazine on October 31, 2025, he reaffirmed his attendance, writing simply but assuredly: “I will attend by God’s grace.”
It was a fitting affirmation from a man whose steady rise through the legal and public service ranks has been defined by diligence, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose.
Appointed as ICPC Chairman by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on October 17, 2023, Dr. Aliyu has since been steering the Commission with a renewed sense of direction and energy.
Barely a few days before that appointment, on October 12, 2023, he attained the highest professional recognition for legal practitioners in Nigeria — the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) — crowning years of commitment to law, governance, and public accountability.
Before assuming national duties, Dr. Aliyu had served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Jigawa State between 2019 and 2023, where he initiated far-reaching reforms in the justice sector. His tenure left behind a strong imprint of institutional accountability and legal innovation.
He was instrumental in setting up the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission of Jigawa State, a pioneering structure that deepened transparency and citizen engagement in governance.
He also worked closely with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to strengthen legal frameworks for anti-corruption and justice administration.
Beyond the courtroom and government offices, Dr. Aliyu has also walked the corridors of academia. He lectured at the Jigawa State College of Islamic Legal Studies, Ringim, and at the Faculty of Law, Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, contributing to the grooming of Nigeria’s next generation of legal minds.
He has authored scholarly articles in national and international journals and presented papers at conferences around the world.
At the ICPC, Dr. Aliyu’s leadership has been marked by quiet transformation. He has repositioned the Commission as a more credible and collaborative institution, one that commands respect both within and outside Nigeria’s borders.
His emphasis on ethics, professionalism, and adherence to international best practices has not only boosted morale within the agency but has also attracted high-level partnerships with development organizations and civil society actors.
Born in Birnin-Kudu, Jigawa State, on December 27, 1977, Dr. Aliyu’s journey has been one of steady and purposeful progress.
From Central Primary School, Birnin-Kudu (1983–1989) to Government College, Bauchi (1990–1995), and on to Bayero University, Kano (LL.B, 2003), Nigerian Law School (B.L, 2004), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (LL.M, 2011), and ultimately a Ph.D. in Law from Universiti Utara Malaysia (2019), he has built a formidable academic and professional foundation that continues to define his approach to leadership.
The 13th Realnews Anniversary Lecture will be chaired by Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips, former Chief Judge of Lagos State and former Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, who will also moderate the panel session.
As Africa pushes toward the ambitions of Agenda 2063 — the African Union’s blueprint for inclusive growth and sustainable development — Dr. Aliyu’s lecture promises to explore how the continent can safeguard its economic future by tackling illicit financial flows and strengthening digital governance.
It is, without doubt, a conversation whose time has come — and one that only a voice like Dr. Aliyu’s can lead with both clarity and conviction.
