Why Corruption and Nigeria’s Civil Service Go Hand in Hand

By Abass Ganiyu

Lagos, Nigeria — Corruption remains a significant obstacle to Nigeria's development, deeply intertwined with the civil service. Civil servants often face financial difficulties, earning far less than their living expenses, which drives them toward corrupt practices to bridge the gap. 

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), many civil servants live in outskirts like Kuje, Lugbe, and Suleja due to high accommodation costs in Abuja. For example, Sunday, a level 9 federal worker, spends over N80,000 on commuting and N150,000 on household expenses monthly, surpassing his N168,000 salary. This financial strain pushes many to seek additional income through unethical means, perpetuating a cycle of corruption.

Moses Igbrude, President of the Independent Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria, highlights that poor pay and high living costs create a fertile ground for corruption. Dr. Sandra Comeh, a psychologist, notes societal pressures on civil servants to support extended families exacerbate this issue. Furthermore, Zakari Mohammed from Auchi Polytechnic points to ineffective accountability systems, weak oversight, and insufficient judicial processes as factors enabling corruption to thrive.

Efforts to combat this must address these systemic issues, ensuring better pay, effective oversight, and robust judicial processes to reduce the prevalence of corruption in Nigeria's civil service.

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