[BREAKING] Chatham House: Corruption Fuels Impunity, Weak Institutions in Nigeria

Chatham House, a UK-based International Affairs Think Tank, has carried out a new research  on corruption in Nigeria, concluding that the social malaise has resulted in significant impunity and clientelism in the country.

In a paper tagged: “Taking Action Against Corruption in Nigeria”, the global organisation said that corruption has caused a crisis of trust in Nigeria’s institutions and society, noting that efforts to tackle it since the end of military rule in the late 1990s have yielded uneven results.

According to the organisation, these efforts have been hindered by politicisation, weak institutions and double standards among leaders.

“The failure to reduce corruption has led to political clientelism and impunity and created a perception among citizens that there is no accountability for those involved, and higher risks for those who resist.

“Many Nigerians are keen to stand up against corruption, but feel resigned, sensing that it is the price for getting things done,” the research paper added.

Drawing on research by its Social Norms and Accountable Governance project – including its fourth and most recent annual national household survey, conducted in partnership with Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the paper argued for a change in approach to anti-corruption in Nigeria.

Despite some successes with anti-corruption reforms, corruption, it said,  has long held back Nigeria’s development, undermining the country’s democracy, governance and economic growth, while eroding public trust in institutions.

In the  survey, Chatham House found that a majority of respondents – 59.2 per cent – believed that power was considered more important than honesty in their community, while 61.5 per cent believed that others in the community would be willing to compromise their ethical values for control of scarce resources.

Besides, many individuals, it said, see their communities and Nigerian society at large as places where honesty and integrity are valued less than power and the control of resources, but added that 73.4 per cent agreed that most people in their community ‘feel bad when someone is being taken advantage of’, highlighting the existence of shared values of empathy and fairness.

According to the organisation, better coordination with and between reform-minded lawmakers, professional networks, grassroots leaders and individuals can have a positive influence on public opinion, and both inspire and sustain collective action.

It urged the government to strengthen existing frameworks, like the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and enhance collaboration between anti-corruption agencies and financial institutions to promote transparency and community involvement in the management of recovered assets.

Chatham House urged Nigerians to leverage the influence of integrity role models and enhance better coordination among reform-minded officials and lawmakers, professional networks, grassroots leaders and individual role models that can help them to influence public opinion and inspire collective action against corruption.

It also highlighted the recent ruling of the Supreme Court which gave financial autonomy to the local governments, explaining that it will likely lead to bottom–up accountability.

“The recent decision by Nigeria’s Supreme Court on local government autonomy may also open a window for advancing bottom–up accountability. The decision removes the authority to set local priorities, manage finances and fulfil constitutional responsibilities from state governors and returns it to Nigeria’s 774 local councils.

“This transfer of powers offers an opening for anti-corruption and transparency coalitions – which are typically concentrated in the big cities like Abuja and Lagos – to collaborate more closely and widely at the local level.

“Ongoing progress on transparency can support a localised focus on accountability, and public pressure can be mobilised to encourage engagement with and oversight of local officials, “ it stressed.

From the findings from each of the surveys, it said that there are indications of an untapped willingness among Nigerians to participate in collective actions that advance accountability.

“This sentiment exists especially among the poorest and those most disadvantaged by corruption. Anti-corruption coalitions can leverage such popular support to press for reforms that can equip citizens to challenge elite-level impunity.

“Such reforms include, among others, legislation mandating both the declaration of assets held by public officials and the right for the public to access to such declarations, a strengthened freedom of information regime and the passage of a whistleblower protection law,” the report suggested.

The report noted that it was crucial that anti-corruption campaigns are led by Nigerians to avoid the pitfalls of becoming hierarchical, politicised or compromised by perceptions that they are being driven by external donors.

It therefore made recommendations that require action by policymakers in government institutions, specifically the executive branch, legislative bodies, judiciary, law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies.

“Laws and policy interventions that align with social norms of fairness, empathy and civic responsibility tend to be more effective. Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda can be reoriented to better reflect public expectations of equitable treatment and accountableleadership, as well as lower the cost of resisting corruption.

“The government should strengthen its commitment to anti-corruption by working with the National Assembly to pass legislation mandating asset declarations and ensuring public access to these records, with consequences for non-compliance.

Enabling citizens to monitor the financial status of leaders over time, it said, would facilitate a sense of governance as a shared endeavour.

“A precedent for asset declaration was set by former president Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, which should be followed and strengthened by a formal public disclosure system.

“This can only be achieved by amending the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Tribunal Act to clearly define access terms. Enhancing CCB effectiveness is also crucial, particularly by introducing legislation that broadens public access to asset declarations and ensures proactive responses to Freedom of Information Act requests.

“Accountability gaps under the Proceeds of Crime Act can be addressed by the establishment of transparent standard operating procedures for asset recovery that ensure affected communities are consulted in the utilisation of recovered assets,’’ the Chatham House report stressed.

Given the personal and professional costs suffered by individuals who resist corruption, the report added that they need comprehensive protection programmes which include confidential reporting channels, legal safeguards, physical safety protocols and mental health support.

“The conflict between Nigerian laws prioritising secrecy and the public interest must be addressed. The National Assembly must work urgently to enact comprehensive legislation to protect individuals who report corrupt activities.

“Well-considered legislation would help shift societal attitudes and leverage existing values of fairness, framing whistleblowing as courageous and commendable. To date, Ghana remains the only West African country with whistleblower legislation,” it noted.

To increase transparency at the state and local levels, it noted that this can be achieved by mandating and implementing e-procurement systems across all ministries, departments and agencies,” the UK think tank stated.