By Correspondent in Abuja.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has acknowledged significant progress in Nigeria’s fight against corruption, citing increased public rejection of bribery and a growing demand for accountability to buttress his observation.
Speaking at the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day commemoration in Abuja on Tuesday, UNODC Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, stated the findings from a recent national corruption survey that underscored these advancements. The theme of the event is,“Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.”
He added that 70% of Nigerians, including a substantial number of youths, reported refusing to pay bribes at least once, a testament to shifting cultural attitudes toward corruption.
He noted that the rate of adverse consequences for rejecting bribes had dropped from 49% in 2019 to 38% in 2023, reflecting improved institutional responses.
Formal action against corrupt officials has also surged, nearly tripling from 16% in 2019 to 45% in 2023.
According to him, 42% of respondents cited moral reasons for refusing to pay bribes, while reports of bribery incidents more than doubled, rising from 3.6% in 2019 to 8.6% in 2023. Toure attributed this to the increased availability of reporting channels, such as social networks, websites, and mobile apps.
Toure described this development as an evidence of a “growing culture of integrity and resistance against corruption in Nigeria.”
Despite these gains, Toure stressed the need for continued efforts to foster integrity, transparency, and accountability in the public sector., he noted.
The UNODC Country Representative called for greater involvement of young people, noting that corruption disproportionately impacts youth.
“Young people are not merely victims of corruption; they are powerful agents of change,” Toure said.
“Across Nigeria and globally, they are leveraging technologies like block chain and artificial intelligence to promote transparency and combat corruption,”he noted.
He urged policymakers, educators, civil society, and the private sector to empower youth by involving them in decision-making processes and giving them platforms to voice their ideas and innovative solutions.
Toure emphasized that the fight against corruption is not solely the responsibility of governments or anti-corruption agencies.
“It requires collective action from all stakeholders, including women, civil society organisations, the private sector, and youth leaders.
He stressed that combating corruption demands the collective effort of all stakeholders, including women, youth, civil society organisations, the private sector, and community leaders.
“Everyone has an essential role to play in this fight,”Toure said.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
