Nigeria’s Half-Hearted Battle Against Corruption:
Time to Draw Lessons from China and Singapore.
Anyone looking for evidence that Nigeria’s much-touted fight against is one colossal joke need not look beyond the country’s political landscape. The video of a former governor wanted by the EFCC recently went viral online. The man was shown dancing at his Chief’s palace like he has no worries in the world. https://www.nigerianeye.com/2025/01/yahaya-bello-shows-off-dance-moves-with.html?m=1
A simple Google search of the president of the Nigerian senate would reveal a man who epitomizes the Yoruba saying: Isalẹ ọrọ lẹgbin / The bottom of wealth is dirty. The president of the Senate had gargantuan cases of corruption hanging on his neck until his case was knocked off their radar by more cases deemed more egregious.
Despite official proclamations and pronouncements, corruption in Nigeria remains a silent plague that thrives because accountability is non-existent, and all the systems set up to combat it succumbed to what cynical citizens dubbed the “Nigerian Factor.”
Corruption in Nigeria has metastasized into a pervasive culture, stifling development, eroding public trust, and fostering poverty.
In this age of information glut, Nigerians can see the contrast between their country’s complacency and tolerance of corruption and the no-nonsense approaches of nations like China and Singapore.
As news spread about how China sentenced another high-ranking official to death and recalls Singapore’s transformation under Lee Kuan Yew, Nigerians must ask themselves the hard question: Is it not time to adopt tougher measures like the Chinese to save the nation from the grip of corruption?
A court in China recently sentenced the former chairman of the Bank of China, Liu Liange, to death for accepting millions of dollars in bribes. This comes on the heels of another official, Li Jianping, who was executed earlier this year for embezzling state funds.
Since President Xi Jinping launched his sweeping, no-nonsense anti-corruption drive in 2023, over 1.5 million officials, including senior party members, generals, and business tycoons, have been punished.
Under Xi Jinping’s administration, China no longer considers corruption merely a legal violation but a betrayal of public trust that undermines national stability and must be severely punished.
Although the death penalty is universally deemed controversial, it nevertheless sends an unequivocal message to would-be transgressors: do the crime and pay with your life. It can be argued that the death penalty is not the ultimate deterrent, but the counter-argument is that enough BIG PEOPLE have not been publicly executed in Nigeria for corruption and embezzlement to provide adequate empirical evidence against its adoption in the Nigerian context. Officials will think twice before they dip their hands in the public kitty if they witness a few governors and senators tied to the skate and shot in public.
The message from China is stark: For every Liu and Li, countless lower-level officials now think twice before dipping their hands into the public till.
Insulting citizens' intelligence is the only way to describe Nigeria’s fight against corruption. Corruption thrives in the country, and it is often rewarded.
Of course, headlines like the one about the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seizing over 700 properties from a single official make good headline splashes, but that's all they are. They never capture the broader reality: most corrupt officials in Nigeria face no meaningful consequences.
The public postures of Nigerian officials who claim to be fighting corruption look like a sick joke when the country’s history is replete with high-profile politicians escaping justice and getting themselves into higher offices.
Former governors like James Ibori and Orji Uzor Kalu were convicted of looting billions, but both remain influential political figures. Governors like Abdulaziz Yari have faced allegations of massive fraud yet remain politically relevant.
As if to confuse citizens further, Nigeria has established multiple institutions to combat corruption over the years, including the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC).
Yet, the achievements of the same agencies are pedestrian at best. The agencies are hampered by inadequate funding, political interference, and an overburdened and extremely corrupt judicial system.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo once called corruption “the single greatest bane of our society,” and under him, Nigeria claimed to have sunk US$16 billion into revamping the electricity sector with nothing to show for it. Obasanjo was not even able to bring to justice the killers of the Minister in charge of the power sector under him, Bola Ige. President Muhammadu Buhari declared that “if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria,” the recently uncovered 700-building scandal is one of the corruption cases that happened under his watch. These presidential words are hollow to Nigerians, as Obasanjo’s administration was accused of using state resources to selectively target opponents and push for an illegal elongation of his term.
The general perception is that instead of acting as effective deterrents, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies have become tools of political maneuvering, used to settle scores rather than uphold justice. More worrisome is that even officials of these agencies have joined the corruption bandwagon. The EFFC recently indicted many officials for corrupt practices, including stealing exhibits!
Corruption in Nigeria is not confined to high offices; it permeates every aspect of daily life and has been elevated to cultural praxis.
The image of the country has been dented by harrowing experiences of visitors who were harassed for bribery by immigration officers, customs officials, and police officers.
One South African businessman recently described being forced to pay a bribe at the country’s premier airport, Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, to have his passport stamped. A video by a British tourist showing how police officers on the Abuja-Kaduna highway openly demanded bribes under the guise of “security checks” went viral.
This public ridicule damages Nigeria’s international reputation, erodes citizens’ faith in their institutions, and discourages foreign investment.
The economic toll of corruption in Nigeria is staggering. Transparency International says Nigeria loses approximately $20 billion annually to corruption.
To put this into perspective, Nigeria’s education budget for 2024 is just over $2 billion, while healthcare receives less than $1 billion. State money that could be used to fund education, healthcare, security, and infrastructure ends up in private bank accounts while citizens gnash their teeth for lack of basic services. Nigeria does live in a paradox: It’s ranked as one of the World’s Poorest capitals while corrupt officials are having the best times of their lives.
Were Nigerian officials to be serious about tackling corruption and are genuinely looking for a success story to copy in the fight against corruption, they need look no further than Singapore. Singapore was in the 1960s plagued by the same issues Nigeria faces today: widespread corruption, poverty, and weak institutions.
Under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption. Lee famously declared, “If you want to fight corruption, you must be prepared to send your own friends and family to jail.”
Mr. Yew’s principle was not just rhetoric. High-ranking officials caught in acts of corruption were swiftly prosecuted, regardless of their status.
One high-profile case involved Teh Cheang Wan, a cabinet minister who faced investigation for accepting bribes. Rather than face public disgrace and trial, Teh committed suicide.
The unflinching, no-nonsense enforcement of anti-corruption laws transformed Singapore into one of the least corrupt nations in the world and a global economic powerhouse.
Nigeria must adopt a multi-faceted approach to tackle corruption effectively.
Civic Education: Unfortunately for younger Nigerians, the country has long abandoned its cultural values and ethos, which put a great premium on family name, integrity, honesty, and hard work. Today, it is get rich quickly or die trying.
Nigeria must instill a culture of integrity from an early age, teaching children the value of honesty and public service as in the olden days.
Independent Institutions: Anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and ICPC must be given full autonomy and shielded from political interference.
Judicial Reform: The judiciary must be overhauled to eliminate corruption within its ranks and ensure timely prosecution of cases.
Public Accountability: Citizens must demand transparency and hold their leaders accountable. Civil society organizations and the media play a crucial role in this effort.
Severe Punishments: While the death penalty may be divisive, Nigeria must try it. By the time ten high-profile corrupt officials are publicly executed, other officials will sit tight. Neither long prison sentences nor asset seizures have deterred would-be looters.
Corruption is not just a moral failing; it is an existential threat to Nigeria’s future. It has crippled the economy, destroyed public trust, and tarnished the nation’s reputation. While China and Singapore have demonstrated that bold action can yield results, Nigeria continues to wallow in half-measures and political theatrics. Citizens watch with apathy as officials take them for sweet rides.
If Nigerians are serious about breaking free from the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment, they must confront corruption head-on. This requires systemic reforms and a cultural shift, where integrity is valued above wealth, and public service is seen as a privilege, not an opportunity for personal gain.
The fight against corruption cannot be left to politicians alone. Nigerians must demand change, mobilize against impunity, and insist on accountability at all levels of government. But first, Nigerians must examine themselves and reflect on whether they are better than the system they criticize.
Nigerians need to change their mindsets and stop seeing corruption as an inevitable reality but a choice. And it is time for citizens to choose a different path - one of justice, integrity, and moral rectitude, without which progress will not be possible.
©️ Fẹ̀mi Akọ̀mọ̀làfẹ̀
(Farmer, Writer, Published Author, Essayist, Satirist, and Social Commentator.)
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