Effect Of Corruption On Local Government Development In North-East Nigeria: An Empirical Assessment

• Moses Aminu Namuku

  Department of Social Development, School of Administration and Business Studies, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola

  Author

• Timon Umaru Yunusa

  Department of Christian Religious Studies, School of Continuing Education, Adamawa State Polytechnic Yola

  Author

This study empirically examined the effect of corruption on local government development in North-East Nigeria. Despite the constitutional mandate of local governments in Nigeria to promote grassroots development, evidence suggests that corruption has significantly undermined service delivery and infrastructural growth in the region. The study adopted a quantitative research design using structured questionnaires administered to selected local government officials, civil society members, and residents across the six states of North-East Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential techniques, including regression analysis. Findings revealed that corruption manifested through misappropriation of public funds, contract inflation, ghost workers, and diversion of statutory allocations has a statistically significant negative effect on infrastructural provision, healthcare services, educational development, and rural economic empowerment. The results further indicated that weak accountability mechanisms, political interference, and lack of transparency exacerbate the persistence of corrupt practices at the grassroots level. The study concludes that corruption remains a major impediment to sustainable local government development in North-East Nigeria. It recommends strengthening anti-corruption institutions, enhancing fiscal transparency, promoting community participation, and enforcing stricter monitoring and evaluation frameworks to improve development outcomes.

• Download PDF