The 2,2′-bipyridine-3,3′-dicarboxylic acid (bida) and its cobalt complex (Co-bida) were tested as corrosion inhibitors for N80 carbon steel in sulphuric acid solution by electrochemical polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method. The results indicate that the complex and ligand inhibit the corrosion of mild steel in H2SO4 solutions and the extent of inhibition increases with inhibitor concentration and decreases with temperature. The inhibition efficiency of the inhibitors follows the trend Co-bida > bida. A mixed-inhibition mechanism is proposed for the inhibitive effects of the compounds. The adsorption characteristics of the inhibitors were approximated by Temkin isotherm. Morphological study of the carbon steel electrode surface was undertaken by scanning electron microscope and the interfacial species formed on the surface in the presence of inhibitors analyzed by infrared spectroscopy.