Combating corruption in Nigeria: the emergence of whistleblowing policy
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-10-2017-0102 |
| Pages | 131-145 |
| Publication Date | 07 January 2019 |
| Date | 07 January 2019 |
| Author | Hossein Gholami,Habeeb Abdulrauf Salihu |
| Subject | Accounting & Finance,Financial risk/company failure,Financial crime |
Combating corruption in
Nigeria: the emergence of
whistleblowing policy
Hossein Gholami and Habeeb Abdulrauf Salihu
Allameh Tabataba’i University Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aimsto appraise the roles of whistleblowing policy as a tool for combatingcorruption
in Nigeria. Methodologically, it examines how the policy could be strengthened to effectively address the
challengesof corruption in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper is essentially a desk research with reliance on the
secondary source of data. Relevant materials were collected in an eclectic manner from official documents,
statutes and other published outlets such as books, journal publications, online articles, news reports and
newspaper articles. Its scope is limited to issue and content analysis relating to the use of whistleblowing
policy as a tool to combat corruption.
Findings –The paper finds that whistleblowingpolicy is an effective anti-corruption instrument thathas
facilitateddiscovery and recovery of looted public resources and prosecutionof culprits in Nigeria.
Originality/value –This paper demonstrateshow whistleblowing as an anti-corruption mechanism could
be strengthenedin Nigeria when the legislator finally passed the WhistleblowerProtection Bill into law.
Keywords Nigeria’s anti-corruption policies, Whistleblowing policy in Nigeria, Loot recovery,
Financial crimes
Paper type General review
1. Introduction
Corruption is an utter catastrophe that remains one of the major challenges in the world
(Schultz and Harutyunyan, 2015). Over the past few decades, corruption around the world
has manifested in such acts as bribery, treasury looting, embezzlement, siphoning funds,
subsidy and pension theft, money laundering, contract inflation, price fixing, rent-seeking
and so on (Folarin, 2012). In Nigeria, for instance, fraud, bribery, the act of indiscipline,
misuse of fund, misappropriation,and diversion of public resources are part of daily life and
common headline in the news (Ejovi and Chales,2013). They exist both in public and private
sectors, among government at all levels and even at individual levels (Nageri et al.,2013).
The effect of corruption is immense, this can be seen in many African countries where a
large amount of money and resources that could have beenused to provide basic needs for
millions of people have been misused or diverted to the personal or private domain
(Ewhrudjakpor,2008).
Reasons why corruption is widespread in Nigeria as experts offered include but not
limited to greed, ambition or desire for power, cultural value for accumulation of wealth,
lack of transparency, bad governance, flawed policies and so on (Amundsen, 1991).
However, fighting corruptionhas been the agenda of successive administrations in Nigeria.
To achieve this, mechanisms in the form of preventive, detective and punitive measures
were instituted to address corruption (Bolu, 2016). Despite all the mechanisms and
legislations instituted to fight against corruption, the systemic nature of corruption today
Corruption in
Nigeria
131
Journalof Financial Crime
Vol.26 No. 1, 2019
pp. 131-145
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1359-0790
DOI 10.1108/JFC-10-2017-0102
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