Nigeria is rich in mineral and environmental resources. Although Nigeria has Africa’s largest economy and population and abundant natural resources, its per capita economic growth rate is low and poverty persists. According to World Bank statistics, Nigeria’s poverty rate in 2023 was 38.9%, with an estimated 87 million people living below the poverty line, making it the second-largest poor population in the world (after India). The World Bank classifies Nigeria as a middle-income economy with uneven distribution of social benefits in the densely populated northern and southern regions. The high level of poverty among people in this natural resource-rich country is linked to widespread corruption.
Widespread corruption in Nigeria has sparked a nationwide outcry over efforts to tackle poverty and poor governance. Pervasive corruption and high poverty rates in Nigeria over the past two decades are worrying, with the country ranked 145th out of the 180 most corrupt countries. However, to combat this menace, numerous institutional and legal frameworks have been developed at the state and federal levels aimed at combating the problem of corruption, which persists despite different anti-corruption programs. according to foreign policy”, “Institutional weaknesses and political motivations often intersect, allowing corruption to flourish.
The lack of strong governance mechanisms, coupled with the widespread influence of political networks, hampers efforts to combat corruption and increase transparency.” As such, Nigeria’s various federal anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) are portrayed as ceremonial and political tools used in every ruling. Opposition figures accused of corruption. For example, during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023), the EFCC failed to detect fraud and prosecute high-profile misappropriation cases involving former and current public officials. The case at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs of the previous government, led by former minister Sadia Omar-Farooq, and a high-profile corruption scandal highlighted the incompetence and lack of political will of the Nigerian government to prosecute corrupt government personnel.
punch “It is alleged that between 2018 and 2023, federal government coffers associated with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development provided 37,170,855,753.44 naira ($23,351,512) for school feeding of children,” the report said. The money was later found in 38 business bank accounts across the country. The suspects from the ministry allegedly transferred N6,746,034,000.00 ($4,238,000) to Bureau De Change Operators, withdrew N540,000,000.00 ($339,239) in cash and spent N288,348,600. 0.0 0 ($1,379,017) in Abuja and Enugu states ideal property.
In December 2023, Betta Edun, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, allegedly transferred public funds totaling 585.2 million naira ($367,635) to the private account of an official in the ministry. The financial misconduct, which breached the country’s financial regulatory laws, led to the young minister being criticized and suspended, but he has remained secretive on the prosecution for deterrence purposes, casting doubt on President Tinubu’s commitment and political will to fight corruption. Create doubt.
The problem of corruption in Nigeria requires strong political will and strong autonomous anti-corruption institutions that are free from political interference from the executive branch. The current government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appears to have made no real attempt to combat corruption and financial recklessness across the country. For example, former Edo State Governor and current Senator for Edo North Senatorial District of Edo State, Adam Oshiomhole, claimed on national television that the sins of any politician who joins the ruling APC party will be Be forgiven. Former and current Senate Speakers Lawal Ahmed and Akpabio Godswill did not contest the indirect elections in their respective constituencies. However, after a lengthy legal battle, manipulation and counter-judgments, the Nigerian judiciary cleared these charges in time for the February 2023 elections to the Nigerian Legislative Yuan.
In 2022, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions scrutinized the non-payment of N2.2 billion to contractors and summoned the then Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio Goldswee. Godswill ). Allison Madueke, the former oil minister under Goodluck Jonathan’s government, is also facing corruption charges in the UK over “£100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jets and luxury holidays for her family” and using a variety of modes of transportation.” London property. “Even former governor James Ibori, who was jailed for 13 years in the UK in 2012 on money laundering charges, has shown Britain’s willingness to fight corruption across Africa.
The immunity principle in Nigeria’s federal republican constitution, which normally shields political officials from prosecution by anti-corruption authorities while in office, has hampered Nigeria’s fight against corruption. After leaving office, corrupt politicians often seek court orders prohibiting the EFCC from prosecuting or arraigning them for alleged crimes they committed while in government. This poses significant challenges to democratic accountability in a country plagued by poverty, instability, unemployment, children out of school, and deadly insurgency, particularly in northern Nigeria. Meanwhile, the oil subsidy scandal alleged by the Nigerian oil industry and previous and current governments led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw gasoline subsidies, but over the past few years, there has been no prosecution of the perpetrators of the subsidies, Make real inquiries on the part of the recipient and the recipient.
Tinubu’s government is grappling with an already fragile economy inherited from the previous administration led by General Mohammed. The success of Tinubu’s economic reforms, such as the removal of oil subsidies and the floating of the naira, will therefore depend on how effectively the government combats corruption and implements social welfare programs aimed at lifting people out of poverty. In addition, insecurity challenges such as kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, indigenous Biafra insurgency and Boko Haram terrorist group continue to pose major challenges to the Nigerian state.
Without political determination to fight corruption, poverty cannot be alleviated. To achieve this, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies must become stronger and more autonomous in order to effectively prosecute corruption cases. Additionally, the government must be willing to implement four policy recommendations, including 1) behavioral insights, designing more effective and independent anti-corruption tools, and repealing the immunity clause in the Nigerian constitution that protects Nigerian political officials from prosecution. 2) Promote gender-responsive procurement policies to disrupt corruption networks; 3) Implement social welfare programs to reduce poverty in the country. The government should prioritize industrialization policies and promote the localization of small businesses across the country to help reduce unemployment.
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