A new report has revealed the continued victimisation, and prosecution of whistleblowers who expose corrupt practices in Nigeria due to the absence of a legal framework for their protection.
Despite the federal government’s Whistleblower Policy launched in 2016, which aims to encourage the disclosure of corruption and misconduct, the lack of a corresponding legislation has left whistleblowers vulnerable to retaliation.
The report, titled ‘Fortifying Policy Influence of Civic Actors in Nigeria: The Case of On Nigeria Programme’, was published by the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI) and unveiled in Abuja. It underscores how the absence of a whistleblower protection law undermines anti-corruption efforts by exposing whistleblowers to victimisation.
The unveiling event jointly organized by Joinbodi Cohort (a coalition of CSOs in the anti-corruption space) grantees of the On Nigeria Program supported by the MacArthur Foundation featured a policy dialougue which provided a platform for stakeholders to assess policy changes influenced over the last eight years of implementing grant projects in Nigeria. The policy dialogue between state and non-state actors sought to identify outstanding policy recommendations requiring implementation by policy makers. And recommended a push for the quick passage of the whistleblower policy to boost fight against corruption.
To further bolster anti-corruption efforts, the report recommended that the government ensure the effective implementation of audit laws, which are essential for maintaining accountability and transparency.
The report also recommended increased advocacy to ensure legislative autonomy at sub-national level, as well as a Legislative framefor tracking constituency projects.
It highlighted the need for the National Institute for Legislative Studies to take up the conversation with legislators to incorporate to incorporate the issue into their legislative agenda.
Since 2015, civil society organizations within the Joinbodi Cohort of the On Nigeria Program and policy actors have partnered to address issues and impact of corruption, impunity, and lack of accountability on access to and quality of public services, good governance and wellbeing of Nigerians.
Cohort members implemented several initiatives influencing policy practices to limit cost of corruption, improve data accessibility, enhance implementation of Administration of Criminal Justice Law and strengthen transparency and accountability in Nigeria.
Speaking at the dialogue, Olusegun Elemo, executive director at PLSI, noted that “while substantial progress had been made in influencing policy changes, sustaining these changes will require continued investment in strengthening capacity and fostering strategic collaboration for actors on the supply and demand sides of governance while mitigating against impeding factors such as funding constraints, lack of political will and insecurity affecting many parts of the country.”
Additionally, Joinbodi Cohort members emphasized the need for whistleblower protection law, legal framework for tracking constituency projects, increased support for upscaling asset recovery, effective implementation of audit laws, and the need to curb gender-based violence.
The Joinbodi Cohort members include PLSI; Agora Policy Foundation; Policy & Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC); BudgIT Foundation; Civil Society Legislative & Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), among others.
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