Nigeria Marks International Anti-Corruption Day. …. As Youth Minister Vows to Protect Youth from Corruption and Injustice
Oru Leonard
Nigeria marked International Anti-Corruption Day on December 10, 2024, with a renewed commitment to transparency and a strong emphasis on empowering youth to drive change. The event, themed “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” highlighted key progress, including a growing culture of integrity, increased civic responsibility, and institutional progress .
The Honourable Minister of Youth Development emphasized the urgent need to safeguard Nigeria’s youth from corruption and injustice, citing alarming statistics on youth involvement in criminal activities, rising drug abuse, cybercrimes, human trafficking, and mental health challenges. To address these issues, the Ministry established the Nigerian Youth Help Desk and partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to create safe spaces and empower young people.
The minister urged policymakers, educators, civil society, and the private sector to involve youth in decision-making processes and leverage their innovative solutions. With support from partners like the MacArthur Foundation, NBS, TUGAR, EFCC, and ICPC, Nigeria aims to build a more just and transparent future for generations to come.
Key Highlights
– Growing Culture of Integrity: A recent national corruption survey revealed that 70% of Nigerians, including youth, have refused to pay a bribe on at least one occasion.
– Increased Civic Responsibility: The willingness to report bribery incidents has more than doubled, from 3.6% in 2019 to 8.6% in 2023.
– Institutional Progress: The rate of negative consequences for refusing to pay bribes has decreased, and formal procedures against corrupt public officials have increased nearly threefold.
UNODC Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, emphasized the importance of collective effort in combating corruption. He urged policymakers, educators, civil society, and the private sector to involve youth in decision-making processes and leverage their innovative solutions.
The event underscored the need for sustained commitment to transparency and accountability. With the support of partners like the MacArthur Foundation, NBS, TUGAR, EFCC, and ICPC, Nigeria is poised to build a more just and transparent future for generations to come.
