Background

Nigeria has been concerned about the worldwide phenomenon of corruption, with anti-corruption laws existing in 1944 before it existed as an independent country. The military governments Nigeria made the phenomenon into a problem for the country. Starting from 1999, when the country returned to democracy, however, efforts have been consistently made to rid the country of it, and its baneful effects on the poverty and unemployment levels, infrastructure networks, education and health human capital stocks, as well as housing conditions.

Past Reform and Achievements

In 2000, an Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) was established to investigate infractions in government offices. Two years later, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which has the power to arrest and prosecute individuals suspected of corrupt activities, was established; and it has recovered more than ₦560 billion (US$4billion). The Code of Conduct Bureau, that ensures that public office holders do not abuse their offices, was also strengthened.

Sectoral efforts have also been carried against corruption. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) were established in 2007, to respectively ensure transparency in the use of Nigeria’s natural resources and in the procurement of government supplies. A Freedom of Information Act that empowers citizens to enquire and receive information on any government activity and a Presidential Committee on Ports Monitoring to decongest and remove the corruption-induced inefficiencies at the ports, were established in 2011.

A Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments was set up in 2012, to eliminate inflation of claims by petroleum marketers. A second phase of pension reforms were carried out in 2014 to further increase the efficiency of the contributory pension scheme that was established in 2004 reforms to replace the corruption-ridden old defined benefits scheme. Efforts in the agricultural sector ended decades of rent-seeking corruption in fertilizer procurement and subsidy distribution to farmers.

Challenges and Next Steps

Government should summon the will to prosecute high-profile corruption cases to logical conclusions. New laws have to be promulgated to increase deterring jail terms for corruption offences.