Better coordination between reform-minded lawmakers, professional networks, grassroots leaders and individual role models can help change social norms, and both inspire and sustain collective action against corruption.
Research throughout the SNAG project has highlighted the complex inter-relationships between individual behaviour, social expectations and political dynamics in Nigeria, and how they play a crucial role in entrenching corruption. While anti-corruption agencies exist in Nigeria, they are frequently politicized, have limited capacity or resources, while their officials are often subject to significant personal risks if they try to oppose corruption. Attempts at transformative change tend to fail in an environment that normalizes corruption. Individuals and communities find themselves trapped in a powerful collective action problem, as corruption has become a key part of how people navigate life and solve problems.
To tackle persistent corruption, this research paper argues for a shift towards a more networked and participatory strategy. Evidence from the SNAG project emphasizes the importance of linking and supporting reformers at multiple levels. While aggressive top–down reform agendas can lead to revolutionary changes to both formal and informal institutions, such ‘big bang’ approaches are rare, and the political will to initiate them still requires a collective, political and strategic process. Therefore, a more context-aware approach is essential – one that actively supports credible, motivated and strategic actors and networks. It should aim to overcome barriers to cooperation and form influential coalitions that can effectively challenge the status quo, capitalize on reform opportunities and enact change in a way that is perceived locally as legitimate.
Importantly, it should leverage the influence of integrity role models. Better coordination among reform-minded officials and lawmakers, professional networks, grassroots leaders and individual role models can help them to influence public opinion and inspire collective action against corruption. The cohort of trailblazers interviewed as part of this paper are among them. Examples of the potential of this approach include the MacArthur Foundation’s ‘On Nigeria’ cohort model called Joinbodi (a Nigerian Pidgin word meaning ‘solidarity’ or ‘working together’). Joinbodi provides a template for how diverse stakeholders and communities of practice can collaborate in order to advance accountability within governing institutions and influence sustainable behavioural change at a societal level.
The recent decision by Nigeria’s Supreme Court on local government autonomy may also open a window for advancing bottom–up accountability. The decision removes the authority to set local priorities, manage finances and fulfil constitutional responsibilities from state governors and returns it to Nigeria’s 774 local councils. This transfer of powers offers an opening for anti-corruption and transparency coalitions – which are typically concentrated in the big cities like Abuja and Lagos – to collaborate more closely and widely at the local level. Ongoing progress on transparency can support a localized focus on accountability, and public pressure can be mobilized to encourage engagement with and oversight of local officials.
The findings from each of the SNAG surveys indicate an untapped willingness among Nigerians to participate in collective actions that advance accountability. This sentiment exists especially among the poorest and those most disadvantaged by corruption. Anti-corruption coalitions can leverage such popular support to press for reforms that can equip citizens to challenge elite-level impunity. Such reforms include, among others, legislation mandating both the declaration of assets held by public officials and the right for the public to access to such declarations, a strengthened freedom of information regime and the passage of a whistleblower protection law.
How to empower Nigeria’s integrity role models and build effective coalitions to fight corruption
It is crucial that anti-corruption campaigns are led by Nigerians and avoid the pitfalls of becoming hierarchical, politicized or compromised by perceptions that they are being driven by external donors. It is here that the model of decentralized and flexible networked coalitions may be fruitful. Existing anti-corruption reformers who have emerged independently and organically within Nigeria’s institutions and businesses can connect grassroots campaigns and civil society activism, as well as increasing awareness and communication among citizens and their representatives. Credible and reputable religious and traditional leaders can play a crucial role by providing moral leadership and credibility that enhance communication between constituents and their representatives.
It is crucial that anti-corruption campaigns are led by Nigerians and avoid the pitfalls of becoming hierarchical, politicized or compromised by perceptions that they are being driven by external donors.
Nigeria’s integrity role models show that it is possible for credible individuals to mobilize popular support for change. But to achieve this at scale, it will be crucial to learn from their past experiences and ensure that policy is framed to support their efforts and amplify their voices.
The following recommendations require action by policymakers in government institutions, specifically the executive branch, legislative bodies, judiciary, law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies (ACAs):
Implement legal reforms to accelerate norm change
Laws and policy interventions that align with social norms of fairness, empathy and civic responsibility tend to be more effective. Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda can be reoriented to better reflect public expectations of equitable treatment and accountable leadership, as well as lower the cost of resisting corruption.
The government should strengthen its commitment to anti-corruption by working with the National Assembly to pass legislation mandating asset declarations and ensuring public access to these records, with consequences for non-compliance. Enabling citizens to monitor the financial status of leaders over time would facilitate a sense of governance as a shared endeavour. A precedent for asset declaration was set by former president Buhari and his vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo, which should be followed and strengthened by a formal public disclosure system. This can only be achieved by amending the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Tribunal Act to clearly define access terms. Enhancing CCB effectiveness is also crucial, particularly by introducing legislation that broadens public access to asset declarations and ensures proactive responses to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Accountability gaps under the Proceeds of Crime Act can be addressed by the establishment of transparent standard operating procedures for asset recovery that ensure affected communities are consulted in the utilization of recovered assets.
Finally, the ICPC should use its powers to investigate public officials regarding suspicious wealth, while ACAs should collaborate with the Central Bank of Nigeria to verify asset declarations.
Protect integrity role models from retaliation and speed up judicial processes
Given the personal and professional costs suffered by individuals who resist corruption, they need comprehensive protection programmes which include confidential reporting channels, legal safeguards, physical safety protocols and mental health support.
The conflict between Nigerian laws prioritizing secrecy and the public interest must be addressed. The National Assembly must work urgently to enact comprehensive legislation to protect individuals who report corrupt activities. Well-considered legislation would help shift societal attitudes and leverage existing values of fairness, framing whistleblowing as courageous and commendable. To date, Ghana remains the only West African country with whistleblower legislation.
The National Assembly should also establish special courts dedicated to handling corruption cases, as proposed in the Special Courts (Establishment) Bill. Such courts should have judicial independence and enhanced digital case-management systems. This initiative would speed up judicial processes and signal society’s intolerance for corruption, reinforcing the expectation that offenses will be dealt with promptly.
Use technology to increase transparency
Increasing transparency at the state and local levels fosters a shared sense of collective responsibility. It can be achieved by mandating and implementing e-procurement systems across all ministries, departments and agencies. Granting state-level audit offices greater administrative and financial autonomy, coupled with robust audit laws, would further reinforce accountability in public fund management. Finally, a legal framework for tracking constituency projects and intervention funds would empower citizens and creates vital feedback mechanisms.
Technology and digitization can play a crucial role in transparency and closing corruption loopholes. Government role models involved in reform efforts also described introducing new accountability policies to change organizational culture. Examples include implementing Open Government Partnership and e-government platforms. Private sector benchmarks include the Corporate Governance Rating System established by the Convention on Business Integrity and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Expanding e-governance platforms, and open data initiatives that enable public access to government records and transactions can help establish accountability frameworks that mandate regular audits and establish clear channels for reporting unethical behaviour. Well-placed reformers, supported by adequate resources, can simplify bureaucratic processes, strengthen oversight and improve services, reducing the functional appeal of some corrupt practices. These changes also build trust and create feedback loops that erode corrupt norms.
The following recommendations are most effective when amplified by civil society groups and media, with support from government, the private sector and the business community:
Emphasize the importance of integrity, using the examples of past and present role models
The reformers interviewed for this paper were nearly all inspired by mentors in early life. Creating and expanding ethical education programs and incorporating anti-corruption messages into school curriculums and workplaces targeting future leaders reinforce positive role modelling. Examples include the initiatives of STEP UP Nigeria. Programmes which emphasize the importance of integrity, personal values, and focus on positive role models can help nurture a self-perception of honesty and accountable behaviour from an early age and foster generational shifts, transforming the essence of shared identity. However, it is crucial that ethical lessons are taken out of the classroom. Young children need opportunities to learn by doing – i.e. engaging in actions that achieve concrete outcomes for their communities. This real-world experience is crucial to prevent young people developing a sense of ambivalence or apathy towards corruption.
Highlighting individuals who openly defy corrupt norms reinforces the idea that doing the right thing is celebrated in socially meaningful ways, while unethical behaviour is rejected as a part of group identity. Our research findings also support the importance of recognition (‘naming and faming’) programmes, media campaigns, fellowships and civic awards for individuals who model ethical conduct – for example, the Accountability Lab’s global ‘Integrity Icon’ programme.
Similar measures have been proven to work in other parts of the world. For instance, a youth fellowship programme in Nepal that paired young people with integrity role models successfully changed opinions about corruption, public service and increased their social trust. Successful interventions have also created relatable fictional role models to exemplify desirable lifestyles, reframing the moral environment and encouraging behavioural change.
Mentorship programmes are also impactful. In Latin America, for example, mentorship relationship between professors and students and former supervisors and new leaders have seen many reformers strategically navigate moral dilemmas. New candidates may also be paired with or ‘shadow’ integrity role models. Buddy programmes can help people resist social or negative peer pressures, and training and capacity-building programmes across government that emphasize ethical decision-making and empower workers to resist and report corruption.
Train integrity role models in diplomacy and strategic thinking
Diplomacy and strategic thinking are vital in navigating the political and interpersonal challenges of changing entrenched norms. Comprehensive leadership training on communicating ethics and values, modelling ethical behaviour and decision-making, reflective autonomy and strategic handling of ethical dilemmas. Organizations could also set up independent ethics committees, offering resources and guidance for implementing gradual change. There is also scope for equipping reformers – and public officials generally – with tools to conduct contextual risk assessments, undertake political economy and stakeholder-mapping, and support strategic decision-making, including by providing access to case studies of successful anti-corruption strategies elsewhere. Academies such as the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) have the potential to renew Nigeria’s leadership pipeline by showing young agents of change how to navigate Nigeria’s political landscape, foster connections and build a supportive ecosystem for the country’s next generation of leaders and public officials to collaborate on influencing institutional change.
The following recommendations are for all levels of governing institutions, constituencies and societal sectors:
Build networks to bring integrity role models together and grow their influence
The experiences of Nigeria’s integrity role models highlight the need for a more networked approach and enhanced coordination. To grow their influence, these reformers and those who aspire to be like them need to be connected via resource hubs where they can share experiences, access examples of good practice and develop a sense of solidarity, shared integrity and social capital. Platforms like these would help to undermine descriptive norms of corruption whether in government, business or civil society, while also promoting alliances and collaborative networks among reformers and like-minded individuals within and across organizations and society – creating a multi-layered network of accountability.
Networks could also be expanded to take in enhanced partnerships between government agencies and NGOs, via collaborative projects that combine the capacities of multiple stakeholders and broaden the impact of reform initiatives. Reformers in government need support through multi-stakeholder coalitions that include like-minded representatives from other government entities, civil society and private sector actors to share resources and amplify accountability efforts in a collaborative environment.
Seek international support for socially meaningful penalties
The US administration’s decision to suspend enforcement of its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is an exceptional setback for global efforts to ‘denormalize’ corruption. Nigeria’s other international partners who recognize the risks of corruption and the importance of strengthening global integrity norms must therefore step up. Partners such as the UK should increase budgetary allocations to their anti-corruption bodies to facilitate robust investigations and effective criminal prosecutions of transnational financial crimes. Legal consequences for corruption have a powerful norm-setting role over time and can increase public trust.
Finally, foreign governments can contribute to socially meaningful penalties by implementing visa bans and targeted sanctions on Nigerian politicians and officials credibly implicated in corruption, and by publicizing the names of those involved. Measures like this will help raise the personal costs of corruption, and will strengthen social sanctions such as public shaming, loss of respectability and status for non-compliance with new social expectations of civic responsibility and accountability.
