‘How corruption distorts Nigeria’s economic growth’

A former director general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr Joe Abah, has said there is a need to remove opportunities for corruption in the country, as part of measures to stem the distortion of Nigeria’s economic growth.

He said this yesterday in Abuja at the 2024 behavioural change conference organised by the Akin Fadeyi Foundation and supported by the MacArthur Foundation and other cohort including Step up Nigeria, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Accountability Lab, Chatham House, NIPSS, NISER, Anti-corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), and Al-Habibiyyab Islamic Society. “Corruption has been described by many as a binding constraint. In economics, binding constraints are those that, unless they are removed, would not allow growth and progress.

Corruption distorts economic growth, undermines public institutions, exacerbates social inequalities, scares away foreign investors, and under-develops human capacity.

“However, it would not be prudent to wait until the constraint of corruption is totally removed before striving for development.

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Countries like China, India, Brazil, and Indonesia are rapidly growing despite significant levels of corruption.

“I am of the view that the key issue around corruption is the presence of opportunity. I am convinced that if the opportunity is there, many people will perpetuate corruption regardless of need, greed, culture, or ethics.

“Where efforts are not made to constrain corruption, perhaps the only constraint could be values, where someone chooses not to be corrupt because they have a reputation or family name that they wish to protect.

“However, in societies like Nigeria where the lines between right and wrong have been blurred, relying on intrinsic values is like expecting an amateur swimmer to swim against a very strong current,” Abah said.

He said that external pressure alone is not enough and billboards asking people not to be corrupt do not work, as catchy jingles advocating against corruption are only as effective as the label on cigarette packets that says, ‘Smoking will kill you’ and doesn’t stop anyone from smoking.

He said, “That is why it is so important that we also appeal to the intrinsic values inculcated in us from birth and take advantage of our religiosity.”

Also, speaking, the founding executive director of the African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Dr Otive Igbuzor, said there is a great need to promote value-driven leadership through behaviour change in Nigeria to win the war against corruption.

“Leadership has been recognised as the most important variable that affects organisations, institutions, and nations. Scholars agree that everything rises and falls on leadership.

“Value-driven leadership is very important for youth, especially in a country where corruption is widespread. Behaviour change can alter habits, attitudes, and actions to align with core values. There are case studies of how behaviour change has driven and fostered value-driven leadership,” Igbuzor said.

Communications Manager, Akin Fadeyi Foundation, Olajumoke Alawode-James, said the cohort had pledged to extend its anti-corruption efforts beyond 2024.