Ethics and Accountability: Rebuilding Trust in the Nigerian Public Service
Keywords:
Corruption, Ethics and Accountability, Nigerian Public Service, Public Goods, Public TrustAbstract
The paper analyses the influence of ethics and accountability, regarded as the bedrock of effective service delivery, in the Nigerian public service. Provision of public goods for overall well-being of citizens is one of the core responsibilities of public institutions. However, the prevalence of unethical behaviours and lack of accountability in Nigeria, particularly in terms of financial corruption and other corrupt practices have continuously undermined the capacity of the government in the area of service delivery. Using a desk research approach, the paper explores data from existing documents and researches to distil the ethics and accountability content of the Nigerian public service. Four cases were purposively selected and interpretatively analysed to examine the link between ethics and accountability, and the issue of public trust in the Nigerian public service. Findings of the paper reveal that the erosion of public trust, and poor service delivery are some of the numerous outcomes of defiance to the principle of public ethics and accountability by both career non-career public officers in their conduct of official responsibilities. The paper concludes that rebuilding public trust in the Nigerian public service requires a wholesome commitment to the principle public ethics and accountability. Strengthening of anti-corruption agencies, sustained advocacy of transparency and accountability principles, effective service delivery, merit based recruitment, and improved welfare programmes are viewed as credible path toward rebuilding public trust in the Nigerian public service.
Downloads
References
Adamolekun, L. (2016). The Idea of Nigeria: Two Challenges – Unity in Diversity and Prosperity. Convocation Lecture, Lead City University, Nigeria, 09 November.
Bentham, J. (2007). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. New York: Dover Publications.
Buhari, M. (2015). Address at the Presidential Inauguration, Abuja, 29 May.
Chazan, N. (1992). Liberalization, Governance and Political Space in Ghana. In: G. Hyden & M. Bratton (Eds.) Governance and Politics in Africa, Boulder & London: Lynne Rienner.
Ekeh, P. (1975). Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 17
Ezekwesili, O. (2011). Enough of the Failing Upward Syndrome, The Punch (Lagos, Nigeria), 06 March, p. 19.
ILORIN JOURNAL OF ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT VOL. 7 NO. 1., JUNE. 2023
169
Gau, J. (1947). The Ecology of Government: Reflecting on Public Administration, Alabama: University of Alabama Press.
Jabbra J.G. & Dwivedi O. P. (1988). Public service accountability: a comparative perspective ={https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:152453627}
Jerome, A. (2016). The Developmental State and Diversification of the Nigerian Economy. Paper presented at the Conference of the Nigerian Economic Society, Abuja, 27 December.
Kant, I. (1790). Science of right. Translated by Hastie W. Retrieved from www.m///files /kant_on_punishment.html.mht.
_______ (1999). Idea for a Universal History with a Cosmopolitan Purpose. In I. Kant (Ed.) PoliticaWritings (translated by H. B. Nisbet), Cambridge: Cambridge university Press
Lanre-Abass, B. A. & Layode, E. A. (2016). Moral Basis of Governance. In: Olatunji A. Oyeshile and Francic Offor (Eds.) Ethics, Governance and Social Order in Africa, Ibadan: ZenithBook House Ltd.
MacAskill, W., Meissner, D., et al (2023). Elements and Types of Utilitarianism. In: R.Y. Chappel, D. Meissner, and W. MacAskill (eds.), An Introduction to Utilitarianism https://www.utilitarianism.net/types-of-utilitarianism, accessed 15/08/2023
Maduabum, C. 2008.The Mechanics of Public Administration. Lagos: Concept Publications Ltd
Mclean, I and McMillan, A. (2009). Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ogunsanwo, A. (2015). Slaying the Supreme Comander: A sine Qua Non for Nigeria’s Dev. And Progress. Ibadan: Oluben Printers.
Olaopa, T. (2018). Big Bad Bureaucracy? Reinventing the Bureaucracy as a New Public Service in Nigeria. Inaugural Lecture, Lead City University, Nigeria, 20 November.
Omazu, E. (2012). Applied Ethics (Course Book for CTH 432), Lagos: National Open University of Nigeria.
Omoleke I. I. (2008). The emergence and collapse of public enterprises in Nigeria. Obafemi Awolowo University Press: Ile-Ife
Olowu, D. (2002). Public Service Delivery. In: Ladipo Adamolekun (Ed.) Public Administration in Africa, Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
________. (2002a). Accountability and Transparency. In: Ladipo Adamolekun (Ed.) Public Administration in Africa, Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
Olowu, D. & Adamolekun, L. (2002). Human Resources Management. In: Ladipo Adamolekun (Ed.) Public Administration in Africa, Ibadan: Spectrum Books
Olukotun, A. (2020). Anti-corruption Policy after Magu’s Indictment, The Punch (Lagos, Nigeria), 27 November, p. 48.
Onyegbaduo, P.J. (1988). Jason's Law of Corruption. Cited in: “Nigeria: Revisiting the Corruption Theory of a Departed Journalist” Premium Times 19 February 2020.
Osinbajo, Y. (2020). Fighting Corruption will get more difficult in Nigeria, 14 July (Statement at the 20th anniversary of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Allied Offences Commission, ICPC).
Ostrom, V & Ostrom, E. (1991). Public Goods and Public Choices. In: V. Ostrom (Ed.) The Meaning of American Federalism: Constituting a Self-Governing Society, San Francisco: Institute of Contemporary Studies.
Plato. (2008). The Republic. ‘The World's Greatest Books 14: Philosophy and Economics. Arthur
ILORIN JOURNAL OF ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT VOL. 7 NO. 1., JUNE. 2023
170
Rogers, P. & Hall, A. (2003). Effective Water Governance, Global Water Partnership, TEC Background Papers, No 7.
Simbine, A. T. & Oladeji, A. (2010). Overview, Challenges and Prospects of Governance and Political Development. In: S.O. Akande and A.J. Kumuyi (Eds.) Nigeria at 50- Accomplishments, Challenges and Prospects, Ibadan: NISER.
Soleye, O.O. (1994). Effects of Corruption on development. In: A. Aderinwale (Ed.) Corruption, Democracy and Human Rights in West Africa, Ibadan: Intec Printers
The Cable (2022). Buhari Pardons Dariye, Nyame- the two ex-governors jailed for fraud https//www.thecable.ng
UNECA. (1999). The Global Agenda: Issues and Perspectives, New York.
Waldo, D. (1956). Perspectives on Administration, Alabama: Alabama University Press.
World Bank. (2007). World Development Report 2007: The State in a Changing World, Washington, DC: The World Bank.
Yagboyaju, D.A. & Oyewo. O.O. (2017). Representative Bureaucracy in Nigeria; from Federal Character Principle to Political Clientelism. African Journal for the Psychological Studies of Social Issues. Vol. 20 No. 3 https//www.ajol.info.article
Yagboyaju, D.A. (2016). The Concepts of Governance and Administration. In: D.A. Yagboyaju (Ed.) Reflections on Politics, Governance and Economy in Contemporary Nigeria, Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
Yagboyaju, D.A. (2016a). Postcript and Introspection. In: D.A. Yagboyaju (Ed.) Reflections on Politics, Governance and Economy in Contemporary Nigeria, Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dhikru Adewale Yagboyaju, Oyekunle Oluseye Oyewo
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). You are free to share and adapt the material, provided proper credit is given.
