The Senate has advanced a bill designed to overhaul the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) and establish legal protections for whistleblowers. The legislation passed second reading and now moves toward further consideration by lawmakers in Abuja.
Senator Neda Imasuen, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, sponsored the bill. He said it would modernise an outdated law that has governed the PCC for more than two decades.
The proposed act would repeal the existing Public Complaints Commission Act from 2004 and replace it with new legislation designed for current times. Imasuen told reporters the overhaul reflects technological change and strengthens the agency's ability to handle its constitutional duties.
"The essence of the bill is to strengthen the agency to do its work more effectively and serve the Nigerian people even better," he said. The new framework would give the PCC expanded investigative powers and better tools to examine complaints thoroughly.
A major innovation in the bill creates comprehensive protections for whistleblowers who report misconduct. Imasuen said many Nigerians possess crucial information about crimes and wrongdoing but stay silent out of fear.
"Oftentimes, people have vital information, especially on insecurity, but they are afraid to disclose it because they fear for their safety," he noted. The whistleblower safeguards would encourage citizens to come forward and help security agencies and other institutions gather vital intelligence.
The bill aims to reposition the PCC as an independent national ombudsman body with genuine autonomy. This status would let it investigate complaints about maladministration, abuse of power and unfair treatment by public officials more effectively.
The Commission would gain authority to receive, investigate, mediate and resolve grievances stemming from misconduct by government workers and public institutions. It would also make recommendations and push for fairness, transparency and good governance across the public sector.
Imasuen explained that governance, public administration and citizen expectations have evolved dramatically since 2004. The existing law simply cannot address modern challenges facing Nigeria's public institutions.
He noted the PCC was created to give Nigerians an accessible way to seek redress against arbitrary decisions and abuse by state authorities. However, the legal framework had grown inadequate for tackling today's governance problems.
The bill aligns with Section 315(5)(b) of Nigeria's 1999 Constitution, as amended, and embraces internationally recognised ombudsman standards. Its formal title is "A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Public Complaints Commission Act, Cap P37, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Re-enact the Public Complaints Commission Act, 2026" with related provisions.
The legislation carries the designation SB. 1040 in the Senate records. It now advances to subsequent legislative stages for further scrutiny and debate.
