Pivotal Policy Conversation
Policy experts worried about a decline in prominence of anticorruption are making an effort to reignite Nigeria’s fight against corruption and sustain transparency and accountability as national priorities. The Agora Policy, in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CFTPI), will host a pivotal policy conversation to coincide with the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 9:30 AM in the Main Auditorium of the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
Supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, this high-level conversation aims to evaluate Nigeria’s current anti-corruption landscape. It will bring together a cross-section of influential stakeholders, including the heads of anti-corruption agencies, senior members of civil society organisations, legislators, researchers, donors, and development partners.
Spotlight on Transparency and Accountability
According to a publicity note by the organisers, the event will serve as a platform for assessing the state of anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria and devising practical strategies to strengthen existing and evolving measures. Discussions will focus on ensuring that transparency and accountability remain key elements of Nigeria’s governance and development agenda.
The conversation builds on the findings of a 2023 Agora Policy report, which flagged troubling issues of corruption within oversight institutions tasked with combating corruption. The report stressed that such practices undermine the integrity and effectiveness of these institutions and called for reforms, including rigorous background checks on institutional leadership and safeguards to ensure accountability within anti-corruption agencies themselves.
When the report was released in 2023, Waziri Adio, founder of Agora Policy, highlighted the urgency of these discussions given that Muhammadu Buhari was handing over government to Ahmed Bola Tinubu. “At a moment of transition,” Adio remarked, there is a danger that the focus on anti-corruption may fade, especially given how anti-corruption barely registered as a major campaign issue during the 2023 elections. The report and this upcoming dialogue are timely reminders of the centrality of transparency and accountability to citizens’ welfare and the democratic project.”
Key Recommendations and Call for Value Reorientation
The 2023 report also advocated for a national campaign to shift societal values that enable corruption. “The impact of systems and sanctions will be limited without changes in societal values,” the report argued, urging the Federal Government to spearhead a comprehensive value reorientation programme.
Additionally, the report recommended fostering greater collaboration across all tiers of government to address transparency and accountability challenges comprehensively. This is the focus of the policy conversation.
Building on Past Efforts
This policy conversation forms part of a broader initiative supported by the MacArthur Foundation to elevate critical national issues. It follows a series of four policy papers released by Agora Policy ahead of the 2023 elections, covering the economy, national security, gender, and social inclusion, in addition to the focus on anti-corruption.
Ensuring Anti-Corruption Stays on the Agenda
With Nigeria at a crossroads, this event seeks to ensure that the fight against corruption does not lose momentum. Stakeholders will explore how best to secure returns on the significant investments made by Nigeria and its development partners in promoting transparency and accountability.
Dr Dauda Garuba, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), urges the public and interested stakeholders “to engage in this important dialogue, as the outcomes will influence policies and practices shaping Nigeria’s governance for years to come.”
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