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“70% of Nigerians Reject Bribes” – UNODC Praises Nigeria’s Progress in Fighting Corruption
Nigeria’s fight against corruption is gaining momentum, with more citizens rejecting corrupt practices and calling for greater accountability, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
During the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day event held in Abuja, UNODC’s Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, mentioned promising trends revealed by a recent national corruption survey.
The survey shows that a remarkable 70% of Nigerians, including many young people, have refused to pay bribes at least once when faced with such demands.
This statistic is a clear indication that a culture of integrity is growing, and citizens are standing their ground against unethical practices.
Toure pointed out that this isn’t just a number—it symbolizes a shift in societal attitudes and a determination to break free from corruption’s grip.
One particularly encouraging finding was the rise in formal action against corrupt public officials.
Between 2019 and 2023, cases where official procedures were initiated against corrupt practices jumped from 16% to 45%.
This surge shows that accountability mechanisms are beginning to take root, and people are more willing to report corruption and demand justice.
Even more heartening is the fact that 42% of respondents chose to refuse bribes simply because it was the morally right thing to do.
According to Toure, this ethical stance provides a strong foundation for building sustained anti-corruption efforts.
He emphasized that while progress is evident, much more remains to be done to ensure transparency and integrity become hallmarks of Nigeria’s public sector.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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