Abstract
The phenomenon of corruption has no doubt become monstrous and pervasive in the Nigerian state, such that it has threatened the very foundation for her rapid development in socio-economic and political trajectory. Given its innumerable manifestations, corruption has permeated all spheres of life and institutions of governance. More worrisome is the fact that successive governments continue to battle with this endemic scourge, all to no avail as it keeps increasing by leaps and bounds. This paper, therefore, argues that corruption is responsible for the state of underdevelopment in Nigeria and Africa by extension because there exists, a clear nexus between corruption and underdevelopment. The paper further imports the basic tenets of prebendalism as a theoretical construct to understanding corruption and the reasons why it is prevalent. Complementing this theoretical analysis is the utilization of the documentary and desktop analytical approach and/or information cum personal experiences in the articulation of the causes and effects of corruption on the society. The paper therefore concludes that though corruption is pervasive and global, it is antithetical to development in all facets. Hence, it requires a holistic and an unsentimental approach to conquer it, the paper recommends institutionalization of legal frameworks, stringent punishment like capital punishment as well as improvement in salary and wage structures of bureaucratic officials as probable and workable solutions to minimize corruption to its barest minimum.
 
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Highlights
There is arguably no doubt that corruption has permeated the fabrics and structure of the Nigerian state and has made development in a multifaceted dimension non-achievable and at worst illusive
Nigeria got her political independence from Great Britain in 1960 and one would have thought that with the vast material and human resources at her disposal, as well as the massive wealth accruing to her from the legendary oil boom era in the early days of independence, the country would have rapid development in all sectors
More than five decades after independence, over 75% of her population is wallowing in abject poverty, infrastructural decay is at its peak, unemployment is rising at a geometric progression and the country tops the list of high-ranking nations with corruption prevalence (Transparency International, 2017)
Summary
There is arguably no doubt that corruption has permeated the fabrics and structure of the Nigerian state and has made development in a multifaceted dimension non-achievable and at worst illusive. More than five decades after independence, over 75% of her population is wallowing in abject poverty, infrastructural decay is at its peak, unemployment is rising at a geometric progression and the country tops the list of high-ranking nations with corruption prevalence (Transparency International, 2017) This is clearly captured in Agbiboa, (2010) when he noted that between 1960 and 1999, Nigerian officials have stolen more than $440 billion. Little wonder the renowned novelist was at pains to stress that the trouble with Nigeria is that its political leaders use the instrument of power to commit and maintain corruption (Achebe, 1982) It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that this paper seeks to underscore the nexus of corruption and underdevelopment, with rapt attention on its meaning given its complexities and to explore the extent to which corruption has hindered development of the country.
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