The Perennial Challenge of Corruption in Nigeria: The Way Forward

Abstract

Corruption is a global phenomenon and continues to ravage nations with endemic abuse of entrusted power for personal gain. However, this problem is more devastating in developing nations such as Nigeria. In Nigeria, the challenging of corruption has become institutionalised, highly malignant and cancerous. Corrupt practices in the Nigeria have assumed threatening dimension that if the malaise is left unchecked, it may be the beginning of the end of a nationstate that its founders toiled assiduously to build. In view of the overwhelming impacts of corruption, this paper examines the perennial challenging corruption in Nigeria and the way forward to tackle the menace. Many factors are proved to have been responsible for this ugly scenario, amongst which is the institutional factors. The impacts are manifest in the decay infrastructure and decline in leadership’s trust and this call for collective efforts to checkmate and put an end to corruption and bring development in the country. The study utilises secondary sources of data mainly. The paper therefore suggests that a potent action against corruption must produce effective sanction and greater political transparency as a means of ensuring that the resources of the country are deployed to bring about sustainable development in Nigeria.