The Death of Whistleblowing Policies in Nigeria and How It Entrenches Corruption and Financial Misappropriation

• Author(s): Iyanuoluwa Simon Bolarinwa ; Toyosi Olola ; Martins Awofadeju ; Beryl Fonkem
• Paper ID: 1706487
• Page: 376-389
• Published Date: 19-11-2024
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 7 Issue 6 December-2023

Abstract

This paper explores the decline of whistleblowing policies in Nigeria and their impact on the fight against corruption. Whistleblowing has been acknowledged worldwide as a fundamental tool for maintaining transparency and accountability in countries characterized by high levels of corruption (Transparency International, 2020). Although whistleblowing policies in Nigeria have managed to bring some positive results, they have begun to decline and, therefore, caused the growth of corruption and misappropriation (Adebayo, 2019). The research employed a comprehensive literature review methodology to gather data from a wide array of sources, including academic journals, government reports, and case studies (Smith, 2004; Jensen & Martin, 2018). This approach allowed for an in-depth examination of the historical development, current state, and challenges facing whistleblowing policies in Nigeria (Nwabuzor, 2019; Olawale, 2020). Theoretical frameworks such as Agency Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Institutional Theory, and Resource Dependence Theory were utilized to analyze the data and provide a multifaceted understanding of the issues (Eisenhardt, 1989; Ajzen, 1991). The main observations are that the decrease in the effectiveness of whistleblowing results from less secure legal support for whistleblowers, a decreasing level of policy enforcement, and public and government trust in the mechanisms involved (Lewis, 2016; Duru, 2018). This results in both a drop in the number of reports actually submitted and a loss of public faith in these approaches as truly effective measures to stop corruption (Transparency International, 2019; Nwankwo, 2021). The implications of this study are significant for policymakers. They suggest that comprehensive reforms are needed to revitalize these policies (Umar et al., 2020). These include strengthening legal protections, establishing an independent whistleblowing body, enhancing public awareness, and ensuring rigorous monitoring and evaluation of policy outcomes (Harper, 2021; Mensah, 2019). This paper contributes to the broader discourse on governance and anti-corruption strategies, highlighting the critical need for robust whistleblowing mechanisms to combat corruption effectively in Nigeria (Okeke, 2019; Singh & Gupta, 2022).

Citations

IRE Journals:
Iyanuoluwa Simon Bolarinwa , Toyosi Olola , Martins Awofadeju , Beryl Fonkem "The Death of Whistleblowing Policies in Nigeria and How It Entrenches Corruption and Financial Misappropriation" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 7 Issue 6 2023 Page 376-389

IEEE:
Iyanuoluwa Simon Bolarinwa , Toyosi Olola , Martins Awofadeju , Beryl Fonkem "The Death of Whistleblowing Policies in Nigeria and How It Entrenches Corruption and Financial Misappropriation" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 7(6)