ECOWAS PROTOCOL ON CORRUPTION AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA, 2019-2023.

ADONU, AMARACHI MARTHA (2026) ECOWAS PROTOCOL ON CORRUPTION AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA, 2019-2023. Other thesis, GODFREY OKOYE UNIVERSITY, ENUGU.

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Abstract

This study examined the integration of the ECOWAS Protocol on Corruption into Nigeria's national legal and institutional frameworks between 2019 and 2023. The main objective was to assess the extent to which Nigeria translated Protocol obligations into operational enforcement practice. Specific objectives addressed legislative alignment and enforcement depth, the effectiveness of regional cooperation mechanisms including NACIWA in supporting cross-border asset recovery, and the role of political interference in undermining Protocol implementation. The study relied exclusively on secondary sources comprising official EFCC and ICPC Annual Reports, National Judicial Council records, NACIWA institutional documentation, UNODC assessments, Transparency International country reviews, and peerreviewed academic publications. The study covered Nigeria only, with a temporal scope of 2019 to 2023 during the Buhari administration. An ex post facto qualitative research design was adopted. Thematic documentary analysis was employed as the method of analysis. The study found that Nigeria enacted formal legislative measures including the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022 that correspond with Protocol obligations, but enforcement depth remained limited due to budget constraints and institutional capacity gaps. The study also found that NACIWA mechanisms produced recoveries of approximately 7.5 million USD against 541 million USD recovered through bilateral channels, confirming that regional cooperation was structurally insufficient for Nigeria's cross-border recovery. The study further found that political interference systematically weakened agency independence, distorted enforcement priorities, and reduced prosecution consistency for politically connected cases. It is concluded that formal compliance with the Protocol coexists with structural institutional barriers that prevent substantive compliance from being achieved without deeper reform. It is recommended that the National Assembly enact tenure protection legislation for EFCC and ICPC leadership to reduce political interference in enforcement operations. Keywords: ECOWAS Protocol on Corruption, legal harmonisation, anti-corruption implementation

Item Type: Thesis (Other)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Management and Social Sciences
Depositing User: CHIBUEZE EZE
Date Deposited: 24 Jul 2026 10:40
Last Modified: 24 Jul 2026 10:40
URI: http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/5914

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