Nigeria’s New Anti-Corruption Strategy Unveiled By Tinubu Government
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, has reaffirmed the federal government’s dedication to intensifying its efforts to tackle corruption at every level.
In a statement at the Validation Meeting for the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) (2022-2026) Action Plan held in Abuja on Friday, Mr. Fagbemi emphasized the importance of a robust national strategy to address corruption comprehensively.
Organized by the Ministry of Justice with support from the European Union/International IDEA’s Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC II) Programme, the meeting aimed to review and validate the NACS Action Plan.
Mr. Fagbemi highlighted that the updated NACS is designed to offer a comprehensive approach to combating corruption across various sectors and stakeholders. He explained that, following the conclusion of the previous NACS 2017-2021, it was necessary to revise the action plan to improve participation, effectiveness, and responsiveness.
“The draft NACS Action Plan, developed through consultations with 22 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) tasked with anti-corruption and accountability, is now ready for review and validation,” Mr. Fagbemi said.
He outlined that the action plan is structured around five key pillars: prevention of corruption, public engagement, ethical reorientation, enforcement and sanctions, and recovery and management of proceeds from crime. These pillars are intended to guide efforts in both the public and private sectors.
According to Mr. Fagbemi, the successful implementation of the action plan will enhance the legal and institutional framework needed to combat corruption effectively.
Jane Onwumere, head of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-corruption Reforms (TUGAR) and secretary of the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), also spoke at the event. She noted that the 2022-2026 Action Plan aims to significantly improve service delivery across the country.
Ms. Onwumere mentioned that Nigeria has undergone two reviews of its adherence to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), conducted in 2014 and 2019. Despite challenges faced during the implementation of the 2017-2021 Action Plan, progress has been made.
She pointed out notable achievements, including the enactment of critical legislation such as the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, and the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020. Additionally, transparency initiatives like beneficial ownership disclosures, open contracting, and routine corruption risk assessments have been implemented to address vulnerabilities.
The event was attended by leaders from most MDAs with anti-corruption responsibilities, representatives from the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and various other stakeholders.
