Corruption remains a major challenge to democratic governance, sustainable development, and effective public administration in Nigeria. Despite the establishment of anti-corruption institutions, practices such as bribery, embezzlement, abuse of office, procurement fraud, and illicit financial activities continue to undermine public trust and weaken state institutions. This study evaluated the role of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in implementing anti-corruption policies and promoting democratic governance in Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the Commission’s effectiveness in preventing corruption, enforcing anti-corruption laws, promoting accountability, and strengthening institutional integrity. The study adopted a qualitative research design based on documentary analysis of secondary data drawn from ICPC annual reports, government publications, and policy documents, reports of international organizations, scholarly literature, and credible media sources. Institutional Theory provides the analytical framework, highlighting the importance of institutional capacity, political commitment, legal frameworks, and administrative independence in determining the performance of anti-corruption agencies. The findings show that the ICPC has made notable contributions through corruption prevention programmes, system reviews of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), constituency and executive project monitoring, public education campaigns, asset recovery, and the prosecution of corruption-related offences. However, its effectiveness continues to be constrained by inadequate funding, political interference, judicial delays, weak inter-agency collaboration, limited prosecutorial capacity, and low conviction rates in high-profile cases. While anti-corruption policies have improved transparency and accountability in some areas, their overall impact on democratic governance has been limited by entrenched corruption, weak institutions, and inconsistent political commitment. The study concludes that achieving effective democratic governance requires not only strong anti-corruption institutions but also institutional independence, efficient law enforcement, judicial reform, transparent public financial management, active citizen participation, and sustained political will. It recommends strengthening the operational autonomy, financial capacity, investigative capability, and accountability of the ICPC, alongside closer collaboration with other anti-corruption agencies and civil society organizations.
Emmanuel Letsuwa, Segun Oshewolo· International Journal of Bus...· 4 citations
This study examines the approaches to combating corruption in Nigeria through a critical evaluation of the initiatives and performance of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Anchored in Institutional Theory, the research examines how formal regulations, organisational structures, and enforcement practices interact with informal norms to shape anti-corruption outcomes within Nigeria’s governance system. The study employs a qualitative research design, drawing on in-depth semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including ICPC officials, policymakers, and civil society actors in Abuja. These primary data are complemented by documentary analysis of ICPC reports and relevant policy documents, thereby enhancing contextual rigor and analytical depth. The findings reveal that the ICPC has implemented a range of preventive and enforcement strategies, such as system audits, public sensitisation campaigns, asset monitoring, and policy advisory roles, which have contributed to modest improvements in transparency and administrative accountability. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives is significantly constrained by entrenched structural and institutional challenges, including limited operational autonomy, inadequate funding, political interference, weak inter-agency collaboration, and institutional capacity gaps. The study further finds that compliance with anti-corruption measures is largely driven by coercive enforcement rather than deeply internalised normative values, raising concerns about the sustainability of such efforts. Moreover, the analysis uncovers a persistent gap between policy formulation and implementation, largely influenced by informal governance practices such as patronage networks and elite influence, which undermine consistent enforcement and weaken reform outcomes. These dynamics highlight the complexity of institutional behaviour within Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework. The study concludes that although the ICPC has recorded incremental progress in advancing anti-corruption initiatives, its impact remains insufficient to achieve transformative change. It argues that strengthening institutional frameworks must be complemented by genuine political commitment and a shift toward value-driven accountability. Accordingly, the study recommends reinforcing institutional independence through legal safeguards, improving resource allocation, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and promoting sustained public engagement to foster a culture of accountability. Ultimately, effective anti-corruption outcomes in Nigeria depend on the interplay between institutional capacities, political will, and entrenched societal norms.
Emmanuel Letsuwa, P. Vande, Segun Oshewolo· Journal of Investment Manage...· 0 citations
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