Corruption In Nigeria Research Articles

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Tax Compliance and the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria

Purpose: The study seeks to investigate has the FIRS done to improve tax compliance and understand the effects of FIRS reforms had on tax compliance and the fight against corruption in Nigeria's tax system. Theoretical Framework: This study is situated within the context of Institutional Theory. The Federal Inland Revenue Service is a government institution saddled with the responsibility of collecting government internally generated revenue in Nigeria. Design/Methodology/Approach: The design of the study is descriptive and historical research design. Data for this study were collected from secondary sources like textbooks, journal articles and internet sources while content analysis was used to analyse the data collected. Findings: The findings of this study shows that FIRS has ratified a number of international agreements, including the Global Forum on Transparency and agreements to prevent double taxation. Additionally, it has established Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), Exchange of Information, and started the tax amnesty. The FIRS has inter-agency relationships with governmental organisations including the EFCC and ICPC, among others. In addition, the FIRS's efforts have resulted in a surge in annual tax payments; in 2018, it collected N5,320 trillion, the most in its history since the FIRS was founded. Additionally, the FIRS noted a decline in the cost of revenue collection from 2.6% in 2016 to 2.49% in 2017 and 2.14% in 2018. Conclusion: Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) should expand its campaign to rural areas where there is little to no tax education in order to increase its enlightenment mechanisms on tax compliance. This can be done by having the FIRS educate traditional leaders on tax compliance, who will then inform the populace.

Underdevelopment in Nigerian and Other Developing Countries: Imperialism Versus Corruption

The conception that Africa is underdeveloped because of the incursion of Europeans vis-à-vis slave trade, imperialism and colonialism is so overwhelming that it beclouds contemporary reality of the fundamental causes of underdevelopment in Nigeria and other developing countries. Very recently, precisely January 22, 2016, John Kerry (US Secretary of States) declared that corruption is killing Nigeria and 5 other states. Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture) had earlier stated that about 55 people stole a total of 1.34 trillion Naira between 2006 and 2013. This arousesconsciousness on corruption and brings to question the Afrocentric theories of underdevelopment. The study appraises the basic assumptions of dependency / imperialism conceptions and juxtaposes it with cases of corruption in Nigeria. The study concludes that Nigeria and other developing countries should stop brooding over slavery, imperialism and colonialism that ended several decades ago and face present realities because almost all the countries of the world were at one time or the other brutalized, subjugated and exploited. The reality is that corruption is the root cause of contemporary underdevelopment in Nigeria and other developing countries. The study recommends among other things that anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria should be strengthened and granted more coercive and enforcement powers. There should be no sacred cows or caveats in the fight against corruption. Stiffer penalties and punishment should be meted out on corruption cases and immunities of politicians should be conditional waived in glaring cases of corruption.

How Leadership Failures Fuel Covetousness and Corruption in Nigeria's Educational System?

The importance of integrity is undermined in communities where corruption is pervasive and the respect for authority figures is diminished. This research paper aims to analyze how leadership failures contribute to covetousness and corruption within Nigeria's educational system. The study analyzes the impact of ineffective leadership on the prevalence of unethical practices, such as bribery, embezzlement and favoritism. Data sources included academic literature, reports and official documents. Then data is analysis and extracted from selected literature. Through an analysis of relevant literature and case studies, the research highlights the detrimental consequences of these corrupt practices on the quality of education and the overall development of the country. In conclusion, strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, enhancing oversight mechanisms, investing in capacity building and promoting a culture of integrity are key recommendations that can help pave the way for a more transparent, accountable and effective educational system. By implementing these recommendations, Nigeria can ensure that its educational institutions are led by individuals who prioritize the well-being and future of the nation's students.

Tackling corruption in the distribution of Covid-19 palliatives and public health facilities in Nigeria: legal insights and strategic blueprint for future emergencies

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the corruption prevalent in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives during the lockdown and movement restrictions in the country. This study seeks to analyse the current state of corruption in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives and public health facilities in Nigeria while also providing a legal insight and strategic blueprint to combat corruption. To this end, this study will address the current legal framework for combating corruption and build upon this to formulate a working strategy for tackling corruption in the future.Design/methodology/approachUsing a doctrinal legal research methodology, this study draws upon existing literature, tertiary data sources and information from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The collected data is analysed and compared with current literature to identify key findings. Rent-seeking and utilitarian theories of the law were examined to guide this study. This study offers useful insights into combating corruption. The use of this method is justified, as it enhances the credibility of the findings on the importance of strategies for future emergencies. This legal research approach is consistent with the law and can be easily verified. The empirical aspect of this study involved a survey of multidimensional health-care and economic data set of 36 states in Nigeria plus the Federal Capital Territory on COVID-19 in Nigeria. A survey linearised regression model was estimated to determine the influence of government revenue and public health-care facilities in the control of the virus spread in Nigeria.FindingsThis study reveals the need for emphasis on the imperative of combating corruption in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives and establishing economic resilience through transparent and accountable practices, supported by legal frameworks.Research limitations/implicationsRent-seeking and utilitarian theories of law are evaluated because of their impacts on combating corruption. The limitation of this study is the intricacy of gathering data on COVID-19 palliatives corruption in Nigeria because of secrecy and the absence of reliable data on the subject.Practical implicationsEstimating the exact number of stolen palliatives and their fiscal impact on Nigeria's economy proves to be a formidable task because of the covert nature of corruption. This study equips policymakers in Nigeria with a better understanding of the legal challenges posed by corruption in the health care sector and provides an effective strategy to combat it.Social implicationsThe lack of reliable data on the extent of palliative theft hinders the ability of lawmakers to enact effective legislation and strategies for combating corruption in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives and addressing future emergencies in Nigeria. The policy implications of this study can assist policymakers in Nigeria and other countries in formulating measures to combat corruption in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives and other future emergencies. Furthermore, it recommends the overhaul of anti-corruption laws and mechanisms in Nigeria to ensure effective measures against corruption.Originality/valueIn conclusion, this study contributes to knowledge by proposing a legal model centred on people's participation to enhance transparency and accountability in future palliative distribution processes. This study recommends legal strategies that can effectively address corruption in future emergencies or shocks. This study proposes a strategic blueprint to tackle corruption in the future. This blueprint includes an analysis of existing laws and regulations, as well as potential policy changes and legislative reform. This study also includes recommendations for improved enforcement and oversight mechanisms and for improved public awareness and education. As part of this, this study considers the potential for public–private partnerships to increase transparency and accountability in public health and health-care services.

Supporting the Fight against Corruption in Nigeria through the Whistle Blower Policy: Challenges and Prospects

This paper examined the impact of the whistle blower policy since its inception in Nigeria. It analysed the concept of corruption and corruption perception index ranking of Nigeria by Transparency International. The paper identified the challenges of whistle blower policy in Nigeria to include the negative effect of the policy on the whistle blower, such as; victimization, witch hunting, retaliation, denial of related benefits, recrimination, suspension from work, outright dismissal from service by the employer and lack of sufficient laws to protect the whistle blower .The paper looked at the whistle blower policy as a step in the right direction towards fighting corruption in Nigeria. To this end, the paper recommended, among others, that the whistle blower protection bill should be signed into law and be adequately enforced, while other enabling laws aimed at fighting corruption should be strengthened. This will make the cost of corruption greater than the benefit as culprits would be made to face the wrath of the law no matter who is involved.

Contextualizing Language as a Tool of Value Degeneration: A Sociolinguistic Study of Language of Corruption in Nigeria

Corruption has traversed all lengths and breadth of the Nigerian nation. The corrupt practice is mostly ornamented with language. The present study aims to ascertain the linguistic codings used to mask corruption in educational, civil service, political and social settings. Data for the study were collected from notable online newspaper and media sources, which include: The Vanguard, The Guardian, The Punch, This Day, The Nation, The Premium, Sahara Reporters, Naira land and others published between 2015 and 2021. The data from online sources were complemented by focused group discussions, unstructured interviews and participant’s observation method. The study adopted a qualitative research design and a random sampling method in selecting a total of hundred respondents from the five states that make up the southeast zone in Nigeria. The paper anchored its analyses on the conceptual model of Sapir-Whorf relativity framework and the analyses were done using interpretative textual analysis model. Findings from the study reveal that using words, phrases and expressions which are reflected in coinages, code-mixing, reduplication, metonymy, metaphor, slang, borrowing, pidginization, lexical reversals and creative usages to mask corruption have far-reaching effects on national development. The paper recommends that in considering the fight against corruption, the government should pay attention to the linguistic embellishments that act as the lifeline of the negative practice.

Fuel Subsidy and Hyper Corruption in Nigeria

Abstract: Fuel subsidy has caused so much mightronares and troubles in Nigeria. It was the hydra problem confronting Nigeria national budget. Issues surfaced on the 29th day of May, 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removed fuel subsidy in Nigeria. Greatest number of Nigerians accepted the removal of the fuel subsidy in good faith against the backdrop of its benefits. Fundamentally, the fuel subsidy in Nigeria was used as a conduit pipe to siphon Nigeria’s resources. For example, an erstwhile Minister of Finance in Nigeria in August, 2020 said the federal government of Nigeria spends about N18-397 billion (Naira) on fuel subsidy daily. Also, a forensic audit of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by Price Water House Coopers revealed that petrol subsidy cost Nigeria almost ten billion naira between January 2012 and July 2013. Subsidy also distorted market and frustrated investment. “The greatest happiness of the greatest number” theory is adopted as the theoretical framework for this study and used the historical design, and the data collected are from secondary sources. The paper also peruses at the reasons for the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria and the gains Nigeria will make thereafter in the fuel industries. This study finds among others that corruption has rubbished the fuel subsidy in Nigeria. This paper finally made some recommendations that government officials and private participants in the petroleum industry found guilty of corruption in fuel subsidy in Nigeria should be sent to the gallows among others. Keywords: Fuel Subsidy: Corruption: Budget: Market Prices: Bureaucracy: Poor Masses: Nigeria.

Metaphoric construction of corruption in Nigerian media discourse

Abstract Conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) and cultural linguistics (CL), which form the chief theoretical anchor for this study, express the role of language, culture and cognition in the construal and expression of human experiences. The approaches posit that the metaphorical use of language by an individual or group is shaped by their ideological orientation, knowledge of their natural and social world, and their cultural worldview. This study investigates the metaphorical use of language by the Nigerian print media in their attempts to express ideation on corruption in the Nigerian public sector. There has not been any deliberate and rigorous attempt to study the metaphorical representation of corruption in the Nigerian media discourse, hence this study aims at addressing the lacuna. Thus, this study uses insights from CMT and CL to identify, classify and analyse some of these metaphors in six Nigerian newspapers, namely; The Guardian, Punch, Daily Trust, The Nation, Vanguard and The Sun. The study shows that print media reports of corruption in Nigeria involving powerful social actors such as politicians, government appointees, career civil servants, academics, the military, the media and others have often used metaphorical frames that emanate from the domains of disease, war and conflict, enmity, impediment to movement, violent natural forces, monstrosity, among others, to describe the incidence, scope, effects and consequences of public sector corruption in Nigeria.

The Impact of Cashless Economy on Inflation and Corruption in Nigeria

The effects of a cashless economy on inflation and corruption in Nigeria were the focus of this research. The statistics Bulletin published quarterly by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provided the study's data, which covered the time period from 1990Q1 to 2021Q4. The unit root test was performed on the formulated model using the Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) method. The variables were found to be non stationary at levels but stationary after first difference, as shown by the Augmented Dickey Fuller unit root test. To determine whether the variables are related over the long run, the Johansen method of co-integration was used. The findings demonstrated a long-term correlation between the factors. Further findings showed that the use of automated teller machine does not lessen corruption perception index and inflation rate in Nigeria but is statistically significant in the long-run. Point-of-sale systems, however, showed promise as a practical technique for lowering corruption perception index and inflation rate. A positive and statistically significant association exists between mobile banking and inflation rate, whereas the adoption and implementation of mobile banking will decrease the corruption perception index but is inconsequential in the long term. Finally, it has been observed that check transactions cut inflation over the long term while also having a positive and statistically insignificant link with the corruption perception index. To further decrease cash transaction in the nation, it was suggested that the monetary policy authority (CBN) expand the number of point of sale terminals. As a result, corruption and inflation will decrease along with the amount of currency in circulation (inflation rate).

Breaking the cycle of corruption in Nigeria's electricity sector: Off-grid solutions for local enterprises

Access to electricity is a major constraint to economic growth in Nigeria. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are arguably the segment of the Nigerian economy most disadvantaged by a lack of access to reliable power. Due to the failure of grid-based supply, over 80 % of SMEs rely on a generator to power operations. Inclusive, diversified growth in the country depends on growth of the SME sector. This paper examines how SME grid access can be improved given the technical inefficiencies and systemic corruption in the sector. In line with the political settlements framework we provide a macro-analysis of the sector which helps address and identify a solution for the main research problem of how to solve the power constraints Nigerian SMEs face. Our research, conducted between 2018 and 2019, but still valid currently, as the features we describe have not evolved substantially, identifies that the reasons for the failure of grid-based supply is a combination of interdependent factors. Technical inefficiency in the grid is high. Revenue shortfalls have also resulted in extensive government bailouts. These inefficiencies are compounded by ‘legacy’ and recent corruption that has led to poor maintenance of the transmission network during state-ownership and to the presence of politically-connected bidders in the recent privatisation efforts, leading to sub-optimal outcomes. Any solution for SMEs has to take this sectoral configuration into account. Our strategy is supported by focus groups discussions and interviews with over 30 clustered firms in the South Eastern SME hubs of Onitsha, Aba, and Nnewi.

A Review of Constitutional Safeguards for Anti – Corruption in Nigeria

The humongous scale and all-encompassing character of corruption in Nigeria makes a constant evaluation of the laws, principles and organs of state geared towards its eradication imperative. The starting point in any such endeavour is the 1999 Constitution which is the basic law that gives validity to all other laws and institutions in the country. This paper examines the broad framework provided under Section 15 of the constitution which provides that the state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. This provision serves as the foundation for all laws, principles, and institutions aimed at eradicating corruption. This piece therefore, examines all other constitutional provisions, principles and measures as well as other legislation pursuant to the said Section 15 to combat the scourge of corruption in. The gaps and challenges in all the relevant provisions and laws are identified and it is emphasized that these laws must be updated to reflect modern needs and realities. The paper finds that the mechanisms of anti-corruption in Nigeria are extensive and if the identified shortcomings are remedied, this will result in stronger institutions which will be better equipped to halt the escalating propensity which corruption has assumed in Nigeria.

A moral evaluation of past military coups and present corruption in Nigeria

It is altruism that military dictatorship and leadership are synonymous with corruption. It is also obvious that participation of military in national leadership through coups is a practice that is not alien to the biblical era, the world, Africa and Nigeria in particular. Nigeria as a nation like other African countries has had its share of this ugly phenomenon in the past and presently harvesting the fruits thereof. The worst legacy left behind by the military leaderships in Nigeria was corruption. The military ruled Nigeria through coups persistently and its ranks and files have by all indications proved that they too, were not immune against the problem of corruption. Using the instance of coups in the Bible and other underlying moral principles, the paper examines the phenomena of coups and corruption in Nigeria and appraised same from a moral paradigm. The secondary sources of collecting data through scholarly literature on the subject are adopted to attain the objective of the research. The paper also highlights the positive and negative impacts of coups on the Nigerian nation. It argues that corruption is a by-product of past persistent coups in the Nigerian state, and advocates for a constitutional means such as democratic elections to effect a change of power to align with current global democratic trends and avoid corrupt practices. The paper recommends that the current practice of recycling politicians and public office holders who are the same military leaders in the past should be discouraged so that corruption can be minimized in the country.

Anti-Corruption in Nigeria: Towards a Critical Discourse Analysis

This paper makes a case for discursive analysis of anticorruption in Nigeria. It argues for an alternative understanding of anti/corruption discourse by examining anticorruption as a discourse shrouded in a complex inter-related process shaped by socio-historical continuities, meaning-making, interests, perceptions and interpretations that (inter)act to impel, and sometimes propel, anticorruption to produce contradictory outcomes. Without impugning on the strides of government, through the efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in the fight against corruption, this piece interrogates why anticorruption campaign appears to have little or no impact in its fight against corruption in Nigeria and argues it is not unconnected with emphasis on institutions as against interests and meaning-making processes that goes into the making of ‘institutions’. It contends that emphasis on institutions in the campaign against corruption loses sight of and does not take into account what corruption is, what it portends, and whether its re/presentation captures or reflects the needs, views and experience of the society. Grounded in postcolonialism and relying on extant literature on (anti)corruption in Nigeria, this study deploys critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine how the discourse of (anti)corruption in Nigeria is generating a social process of anticorruption with (un)intended consequences. Keywords: Corruption, Anticorruption, Critical Discourse Analysis, Postcolonialism, Institutionalism DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-8-01 Publication date: April 30 th 2023

Conceptual Analysis of Public Policy Failures in Nigeria: Tract to Economic Underdevelopment

The study examined the conceptual issues of public policy failure in Nigeria and how it affects economic development. The main objective of the study is to conceptually analyses public policy failures in Nigeria as a tract to economic underdevelopment. Contents method was used in the analysis. This means that the study uses conceptual analysis and rational analysis in assessing the public policies failures in Nigeria. The study was based on the thesis of elite theory. The study reveals that public policies are not effective in Nigeria. The paper also reveals the consequences of public policies failure in Nigeria. The study analyzed the concept of public policy and economic underdevelopment. The study concludes that constant changes of government in Nigeria, high level of corruption among government officials of these public policies agencies among others affected the smooth operations of public policies in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends that there should be continuity in public policy implementation even where there is change in government as government is a continuum; and parochial and primordial interests should be avoided during policy formulation and implementation in the country. There should be capital punishment in the country constitution to address the issues of corruption in Nigeria.

An Assessment of the Level of Impacts of Corruption as Risk on Public Procurement Performance: A Case Study of Selected Record Systems in Nigeria

Many researchers have revealed that corruption is associated with adverse effects on the sustainable development of the country. However, the rapid increase in measures to combat corruption globally portrays a picture of the losses due to corruption. Corruption, especially in developing countries, mainly manifests in the public procurement sectors due to the large amount of money involved. The emergence of covid-19 has also amplified corruption cases in the procurement of medical supplies in West Africa and the world. This conference paper examined the extent of corruption in public procurement in Nigeria, particularly the record systems. The paper was guided by various research questions, including; To what extent does corruption affect the performance of public procurement in Nigeria?, What are the various ways in which corruption affect the public procurement record systems in Nigeria?, What are the most effective methods of combating corruption in the public procurement systems in Nigeria?. The study employed a qualitative research method using a systematic review of the literature to answer these research questions. The study revealed that the systemic corruption in Nigeria could be combated using non-state approaches as compliments to the state-based plans. It also provides the reasons why corruption has persisted in Nigeria. Keywords: Corruption, Public Procurement, Performance

CORRUPTION IN THE NIGERIAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM: THE WAY FORWARD

Nigeria as a country operates Federal System of government where the principle of separation of powers is hinged on a separation of the three arms of government namely, the legislature, executive and the judiciary. The essence of their separation is to avoid fusion of powers among the three arms so as to ensure checks and balances that guarantee good governance in the country. Using a qualitative study which is based on a historical analytical descriptive approach that revolves around a combination of historical literature where both secondary and primary sources of data were utilized, to arrive at logical findings, the study argued that, the Nigerian judiciary which has been described by certain scholars as the last hope of a common man and also the bastion of democracy is saddle with the responsibility of interpreting the laws as well as determining and resolving dispute between individuals on one hand, and between states and other levels of government on the other hand. But regrettably, right from the military regime up to the present-day democratic experiment in Nigeria, the judiciary has been deeply abashed or embroiled with corrupt practices of various degrees. The paper is therefore, tailored towards examining not only the causes of corruption in Nigeria’s judicial system but also the implications of corruption on our justice system. The paper finally canvases for total over hauling of the judiciary system for optimal performance of the sector in order to rekindle the lost confidence of Nigerians on the justice ministry or sector.

Growth effects of government expenditure in Nigeria: Does the level of corruption matter?

A strand of literature suggests that an efficient government can complement private capital formation and boost the overall productivity of private economic agents. Nigeria has experienced uneven growth performance in the last three decades despite growing government expenditure. This paper carried out an empirical analysis of direct and indirect links among growth, government expenditure and corruption in Nigeria using annual time series data for the period from 1990 to 2020. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model was used to explore the long-run interacting effect of corruption on the nexus between growth and government expenditure. For the robustness check, the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) were used as alternative techniques of estimation. Directly, an increase in government expenditure and a reduction in corruption has a significant increasing effect in the short-term and long-term growth. Indirectly, reducing corruption enhances the increasing effect of government expenditure on economic growth. However, corruption reduction up to the 42.25 threshold and beyond diminishes the increasing effect of government expenditure on economic growth. This suggests that attaining sustained growth is possible by raising government expenditure and minimizing corruption. Thus, minimizing corruption associated with expenditure policy should be a top policy priority.

Corruption in Nigeria: Causes, Effects and Control from the Islamic Viewpoint

This paper examines corruption with special reference to Islamic viewpoint. Different acts of corrupt practices were identified. These include fraud, money laundering, and misappropriation of funds and abuse of office. It was discovered that a lot of reasons are responsible for these acts. These include greediness, self-esteem, under employment, and poor leadership. Their effects consist of inflation, poverty and agony, and bad international image for Nigeria. The solutions to these problems include appropriate penalty, removal of immunity from the 1999 constitution, and designing a course on the evil effects of corruption, to be made compulsory at all levels of our educational institutions. The researcher made use of historical analysis. Keywords: corruption, bribery, assassination, fraud, gratification. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-2-03 Publication date: January 31 st 2023

Women in national development: the challenges of recession and corruption in Nigeria

Women in national development: the challenges of recession and corruption in Nigeria

Socio-­Political Environment and Corruption in Nigeria: An Empirical Analysis

No country is an exception when it comes to the issue of corruption, but the severity and structure of this phenomenon differ from one place to another. This research investigated context-­specific relationships between the socio-­political environment and corruption in Nigeria. The independent variable, i. e., socio-­political environment is proxied by the following government effectiveness indices, such as the rule of law, human development, political stability, and political rights. The dependent variable, i. e., corruption is proxied by the corruption perception index. The study covers the period from 1999 to 2019 using Auto-regressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) for the analysis of the data and some diagnostic tests, such as serial correlation, heteroscedasticity test, and normality test, which were carried out to test the findings. The result revealed that only political stability significantly influences corruption in Nigeria, underscoring the importance of uninterrupted democracy since 1999 in corruption perception of the country. Contrarily, the government effectiveness, the rule of law, human development, and the political right indices failed to have a significant impact on corruption perception and control in Nigeria. This implies that, with the current socio-­political environment in Nigeria, corruption cases in the country have been on the rise. Hence, Nigeria’s socio-­political environment is too weak to have any significant effect on corruption control. The study recommends, among other things, that the rule of law should be followed effectively so that corruption can be curtailed in Nigeria.