President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that his administration’s ongoing reforms have effectively wiped out corruption in Nigeria. The president made the statement during a business engagement in Brasília, Brazil, as part of his recent state visit.
According to Tinubu, his government’s economic and governance reforms have strengthened transparency, stabilized the financial system, and boosted investor confidence. He assured the Brazilian business community that Nigeria is now safer for investment, insisting that “there will be no more corruption.”
The remark has, however, triggered mixed reactions back home.
Several religious leaders dismissed the statement as unrealistic, stressing that corruption is still visible in everyday life across the country. They described the president’s words as being out of touch with reality.
Some legal and policy analysts took a more balanced view, noting that while the government has made progress in stabilizing the economy and increasing high-profile convictions, Nigeria still ranks 140th on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index with a score of 26 out of 100. They argued that petty bribery and systemic issues remain widespread.
At the same time, pro-government groups praised Tinubu’s claim, highlighting recent reforms in the foreign exchange market and renewed support for anti-graft agencies as signs of progress toward a corruption-free Nigeria.
The president’s bold statement has now set off a national debate: has corruption truly been eliminated, or is Nigeria still battling a deep-rooted problem despite ongoing reforms?
Tags:
News