Abstract
Bureaucratic corruption remains a recurrent problem in Nigeria: it hinders governance, development, and thus the economy. Defining bureaucratic corruption as the unauthorized use of public office for personal advantage, this study presents empirical evidence of its negative effects on governance, service delivery, and development. This paper analyses the persistent structural and systems-related causes of corruption in Nigeria’s public organizations, such as patronage networks, accountability deficits, and weak checks and balances. This study used qualitative approach inform of content analysis as its methodology. The paper reviewed historical approaches, legal enactments, and popular cases and found out that bureaucratic corruption has indeed taken root in the Nigerian polity. It also brings out the negative impacts on the welfare of citizens, FDI, and the principles of the rule of law. Furthermore, this research provides information on the recent measures taken by the Nigerian government and international organizations to combat corruption together with their effectiveness and drawbacks. This paper hopes to offer practical recommendations based on such measures as an increase in accountability, improved mechanisms of enforcing the anti-corruption laws, and civic participation in controlling bureaucratic corruption and actualizing a sound and healthy governance structure in Nigeria.
Keywords: Bureaucratic, Corruption, Governance, Accountability, Anti-corruption measures, Economic development