The House of Representatives is pushing a bold anti-bribery bill that could jail offenders for up to seven years, with stiffer penalties for public officials and corporations.
- Bill targets bribery in both public and private workplaces
- Offenders could face ₦5m fine or 7–10 years imprisonment
- Public officials risk job loss and a 15-year ban from office
- Companies could lose licences and face ₦100m fines
- Whistleblowers to be protected, retaliation now a punishable offence
Nigerians are watching closely and not without scepticism. Yes, tackling workplace bribery matters, but many are asking: what about the elephant in the room, political corruption?
It's hard to take this bill seriously when the same lawmakers pushing it haven’t addressed the rot in their ranks. For many, it feels like they’re reaching for specks in the eyes of workers while ignoring the logs in theirs.
Until we see real accountability in political circles, moves like this risk being seen as deflection, not reform.
