Drivers of Corruption in Nigeria: Key Factors and Case Study

Running head: DRIVERS OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
WHAT ARE THE KEY DRIVERS OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA?
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1DRIVERS OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
Introduction
As opined by Akinola (2017), corruption had emerged as one of the most important
wicked problems that the different nations of the world especially the developing nations are
facing presently. Oseni and Sanni (2016) are of the viewpoint that the adverse effect of the
wicked problem of corruption is not only perceptible at the local levels of the different nations
but also at the national levels. More importantly, the problem of corruption adversely affects the
growth or the development of the different nations. Adding to this, Otu and Ani (2018) have
noted that because of the problem of corruption in the different developing nations it had been
seen that millions of worth of tax money is not being paid to the national government by the
business corporations and the individuals.
More importantly, as discussed by Asomah (2019), it had also been seen that the people
who are in power not only misuse the policies or the different regulations to fulfill their own
greed but also take the help of coercive measures for gaining more power and affluence within
the societal framework through the usage of the construct of corruption. In this relation, it needs
to be said that there are various key drivers of corruption like the legal system, political system,
organizational factors, socio-cultural factors, historical factors, information transfer and others
which give rise to the evil of corruption in the different nations. The purpose of this paper is to
undertake an analysis of the different drivers of the evil of corruption through the use of the case
study of Nigeria.

2DRIVERS OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
Overview of the concept of Corruption
Adongoi and Abraham (2017) have stated that the concept of corruption can be defined
as the misuse of power or the authority by the people who are in power or usage of dishonest
measures for the fulfillment of personal greed by those individuals holding the maximum amount
of power. Adding to this, Adelopo and Rufai (2018) have noted that corruption also refers to the
process through which the original expressions or the ‘word of mouth’ is being manipulated or
debased by the individuals for the fulfillment of own personal agendas or goals. For instance, it
had been seen that the high raking governmental official or the people who are entrusted with the
work of facilitating the effective implementation of the different governmental policies
commonly manipulate the actual terms or the stipulations of the governmental policies or
legislations to derive personal benefits (Ducrotoy et al. 2018). On the other hand, it had been
seen that the business corporations also take the help of different kinds of corrupt practices like
misappropriation of the revenue earned by them to avoid paying taxes to the national
government, usage of below standard equipment for the production of goods or services, offering
below-par quality goods or services and others (Rose-Ackerman and Palifka 2016). Furthermore,
at individual level, it is seen that the different individuals often offer bribes, gifts and others to
the governmental officials and others for getting their work done, hiding the wealth held by them
so as to avoid taxes and others.
As discussed by Agbiboa (2015), embezzlement, bribes, dishonesty, favoritism and
others are some of the most common forms of corruption which is found in the different nations
of the world. More importantly, it had been seen that the different forms of corruption are very
common in the developing nations especially in the nations with weak national government or
the nations wherein the different mafias are highly active and others (Tankebe, Boakye and

3DRIVERS OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
Amagnya 2019). Mlambo et al. (2019) are of the viewpoint that a high level of corruption within
the framework of any nation adversely affects both the common people and also the entire nation
as well. In this relation, it needs to be said that the primary purpose of the different governmental
policies, regulations, legislations and others is to help the people to effectively fulfill their basic
psychosocial needs and thereby lead a meaningful or for that matter fruitful life. However, the
usage of the corrupt practices by a handful of people for the fulfillment of their excessive greed
adversely affects the fulfillment of the basic needs of the other people and this in turn reduces the
quality of life led by them (Baez-Camargo et al. 2019). More importantly, in many cases it had
been seen that the individuals become so irate and dissatisfied with the national government that
they resort to the usage of violence and other illegal measures for the fulfillment of their basic
need. In addition to these, the excessive usage of the corrupt practices by the different high
ranking governmental official hinders the effective implementation of the diverse important
governmental policies, regulation, mandates and others which in turn adversely affects the
stability of the nation itself and also the process of nation-building as well (Omobowale and
Fayiga 2017). In the light of these aspects, it can be said that it had become integral for the
different nations to effectively resolve the problem of corruption so as to facilitate the growth of
the common people and also of the entire nation itself.
Corruption in Nigeria
Dawar and Ndlovu (2017) have observed that corruption is perhaps one of the major
problems that the nation of Nigeria is facing presently which in turn is threatening the very
stability of the concerned nation. Adding to this, Ojedokun and Adeyanju (2019) have noted that
two of the most important factors which had substantially enhanced the level of corruption
within the nation of Nigeria can be attributed to the discovery of oil and gas in Nigeria and also