Abstract
This study examines the impact of Forensic accounting on anticorruption in Nigeria; it examines the relationship between forensic accounting activities and anti-corruption performance by conducting a comparative review of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) from 2015 to 2023. Using secondary data from annual reports of both agencies, forensic accounting activities proxied by the number of cases investigated and presence of forensic audit units were analyzed against anti-corruption outcomes, namely conviction rates and funds recovered. Provided data reveal a positive correlation between forensic activities and anti-corruption outcomes, with EFCC showing consistently higher recovery rates and convictions. The study concluded that the study recommended that the findings suggest that greater investment in forensic accounting infrastructure could improve the effectiveness of Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts. federal government should mandate the establishment and full operationalization of forensic audit units in all anti-corruption and regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the EFCC, ICPC, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). Standardized forensic frameworks will ensure consistency in investigative practices, improve inter-agency collaboration, and elevate the overall integrity of financial crime investigations. Substantial investment is required in forensic accounting capacity development, the recruitment and training of skilled forensic accountants, acquisition of advanced software tools, and ongoing certification programs tailored to digital forensics, financial intelligence, and litigation support. International partnerships and donor-backed technical assistance could be instrumental in filling this capacity gap.
Keywords: Anti-Corruption, Conviction Rate Forensic Accounting, Recovered Funds