PCC Received 1.2m Complaints In 2 Years –Commissioner

The chief commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Bashir Abubakar, has said the agency received 1.2 million complaints in the last two years.

Abubakar disclosed this at the Nigerian Ombudsman Annual Conference 2026 in Abuja, where he called for stronger institutional collaboration and improved administrative justice.

He said the commission recorded 1.8 million complaints and resolved 1.4 million in its first 50 years, noting that the 1.2 million complaints received in the last two years reflected a significant increase in its activities.

The commissioner attributed the commission’s recent progress to collaboration with the Presidency, the National Assembly and relevant government agencies.

He said the commission had engaged several government institutions to address its operational challenges, adding that collaboration with the executive and legislature had helped resolve some of the issues.

Abubakar also called for stronger collaboration between the commission and traditional institutions, noting that traditional rulers had long played important roles in resolving disputes within their communities.
He said an effective ombudsman system could help reduce tensions and prevent disputes from escalating into court.

The commissioner identified systemic investigation and proactive advice to government as key responsibilities of an ombudsman, urging public institutions to address recurring administrative problems rather than merely responding to individual complaints.

He said leaders needed to listen to the people they governed and ensure that public institutions operated in accordance with the rule of law and established procedures.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen, called for stronger public institutions, improved compliance and greater accountability to promote good governance.

Imasuen, who represented Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said Nigeria needed to move from personality-driven institutions to system-driven institutions that function effectively regardless of who holds positions of authority.

“Our collective objective must therefore be to move progressively from personality-driven institutions to system-driven institutions,” he said.

The senator stressed that laws, regulations, policies and procedures could not deliver their intended benefits without compliance.

He said the commission provided citizens with a channel to seek redress against unlawful, unfair, oppressive or unreasonable administrative actions and omissions.

Imasuen added that recurring complaints could expose institutional weaknesses, procedural gaps, and administrative failures that require systemic reforms.

He urged public institutions to investigate the causes of administrative failures and implement measures to prevent their recurrence.

According to him, the work of the ombudsman complemented the legislature’s constitutional responsibilities of representation, lawmaking and oversight.

He noted that petitions submitted to the National Assembly frequently exposed administrative injustices, regulatory deficiencies and governance failures.

The senator urged participants to develop practical recommendations to strengthen institutional capacity, improve compliance monitoring and ensure the timely resolution of complaints.

Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Beke Augusta, said complaints from citizens should be treated as opportunities to identify institutional weaknesses and improve public administration.

She called for stronger collaboration between the commission and ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as effective mechanisms to monitor the implementation of its recommendations.

Augusta also urged the commission to adopt digital technology to facilitate the submission, tracking and resolution of complaints.

The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Joseph Ochogwu, represented by the institute’s Director of Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Gerard Okafor, said strong institutions were essential to upholding the rule of law, protecting citizens’ rights and preventing violent conflicts.

He called for clear administrative standards, stronger compliance monitoring and better coordination among government institutions, adding that tracking recurring grievances could help prevent administrative failures and reduce tensions.

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, also called for greater public awareness of the commission’s services, describing the ombudsman as a less expensive and less cumbersome avenue for seeking redress.

He cited complaints involving unpaid pensions and gratuities, as well as inadequate medical care in public and private hospitals, as examples of grievances the commission could help address.

Anyaoku expressed confidence that the commission, under Abubakar’s leadership, could strengthen its services and meet citizens’ expectations.