Stamping Corruption out of Our System: The Impact of National and International Legislations on Corruption Control in Nigeria

From the 1990s, the level of increase in corruption on the global plane has been astronomical and has hitherto generated cause for concern. Many countries have adopted anti-corruption policies,[1] legislations, setting up of anti-corruption institutions but unfortunately, from available records, little or no progress has been made. Corruption has permeated almost all facet of human endeavous while the “monster” is developing and growing in a geometric progression while remedial actions are growing in an arithmetical progression. Nigeria as a country has been rated as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.[2] This assessment of Nigeria is annoying and degrading to the extent that the negative image created by this “monster” is following all Nigerians every where they go. Outside the shores of the country, every Nigerian is treated with circumspect. The government is not folding its arm in attempting to stamp out this menace but it appears that the more the noise on stamping out corruption, the greater the rate at which it develops. The question that then readily come to mind is Where lies the problem? Does it lie with the inadequacy of legislation-national and international or is the problem that of implementation and enforcement or both. This paper seeks to examine holistically the concept of corruption, causes, and effects of corruption, detailed examination of legal instrument national and international put in place to address the menace of corruption and the extent to which these laws are effective and end with conclusion and recommendations. [1] See Leautier, F.A. (2006) “Preface” in Stapenhurst R. et al (eds) The Role of Parliament in Curbing Corruption Washington DC, World Bank. P. ix. [2] See Report of the Transparency International, 2013