Federal Government Announces Launch of National Anti-Corruption Strategy
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has announced the upcoming introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, NACS, 2022/2026 in the next quarter of the upcoming year as part of the continued fight against corruption by the Federal government.
The announcement was made during an event marking the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day 2023 in Abuja. Representing the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Director of Research, Planning, and Statistics, Victoria Ojogbane, revealed that the Federal Executive Council had previously endorsed the adoption of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy at its 25th Meeting in 2017. The council directed the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to create an implementation plan for the NACS 2017-2021.
Following the expiration of the NACS 2017-2021, the Federal Executive Council approved the extension of the NACS for an additional 4 years (2022-2026) on 23rd November, 2022.
The Ministry, in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), has engaged with various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for the review of the NACS Policy document and the development of the NACS Action Plan for 2022-2026.
The National Anti-Corruption Strategy is centred on five Pillars designed to drive both the public and private sectors. These include the Prevention of Corruption; Public Engagement; Campaign for Ethical Re-orientation; Enforcement and Sanction; and Recovery and Management of Proceeds of Crime.
In response to this development, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), expressed concern over Nigeria’s recent Corruption Perception Index ranking of 154 out of 180 countries. This ranking indicates that the country still has a long way to go in its fight against corruption, despite adopting the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) 20 years ago.
Dr. Orji highlighted the unique challenges faced by Nigeria as a resource-rich country, particularly in dealing with issues such as oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal mining, and the illicit stealing of solid minerals, often in collaboration with foreign entities.
The theme for this year, “UNCAC at 20: Uniting the World Against Corruption,” is in line with the focus of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, demonstrating the commitment to promoting accountability in the extractive sector.
In conclusion, the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy is a significant step in the ongoing efforts to combat corruption in Nigeria. The government’s dedication to strengthening anti-corruption measures and collaboration with key stakeholders will play a crucial role in achieving the objectives outlined in the NACS.
