Governance, Corruption and Anti-Graft Agencies in Africa: A Comparative Study of Nigeria and Uganda

Abstract

Introduction: This study seeks to examine the effectiveness of anti-graft agencies activities in Nigeria and Uganda.
Objectives: To determine if the anti-graft agencies in both countries have been effective in their fight against corruption.
Methods: A comparative research design was used to compare the activities of these agencies in the two countries. The comparative analysis helps to examine the similarities and differences in their operations and provide understanding of social reality in the different national contexts. Data were collected from the World Wide Governance Indicators (WGI) from 2000 to 2016 for Nigeria and Uganda for political parties, Military and police, legislature and parliament, judiciary and the overall corruption index. This study applied a trend analysis and t-test. The trend analysis was adopted to determine the extent of anti-graft agencies activities in their fight against corruption. While the t-test was used to compare the level of corruption in each institution in both countries.
Results: The findings indicated that corruption is a problem that impede on deepening democracy and sustainable development. An effective anti-graft agencies effort is expected to result in openness, discipline, integrity, transparency and good governance. The result from this study however, shows that the measures formulated and implemented in Nigeria and Uganda were all defective, fraught and are not expected to provide solution to the menace of corruption in the two countries.
Discussion and Conclusion: The government of Nigeria and Uganda should therefore, embark on societal sensitization with emphasis on political accountability and good governance to help deepen democracies and sustainable development in the two countries. Anti-corruption programmes designed by the government and civil society organizations should aim at strengthening faith in the citizens by making the citizens realize how important they are in the fight.