Dr. Leena Koni Hoffmann, an associate fellow of the Africa Programme at Chatham House and lead researcher for its Social Norms and Accountable Governance (SNAG) project, has highlighted a striking detail about General Bola Tinubu’s campaign manifesto: the word “corruption” appears just five times.
According to Hoffmann, this minimal emphasis signals a lack of priority on tackling corruption, which she argues is why Tinubu’s administration has yet to present a clear or robust strategy to combat the pervasive issue.
In an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER, Hoffmann, who authored the recent Chatham House report titled “Taking Action Against Corruption in Nigeria: Empowering Anti-Corruption Role Models and Coalitions to Change Social Norms,” pointed out that Nigeria’s entrenched governance challenges stem from inconsistent anti-corruption efforts, weak accountability systems, and deep public mistrust in institutions. Nigeria currently ranks 140 out of 180 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), a position Hoffmann attributes to these systemic failures. “The country’s poor ranking has persisted for years, with only slight improvements in the past decade,” she explained. “This reflects not just weak reforms but also how Nigerians perceive and experience their institutions.”
While Hoffmann acknowledged that Tinubu has occasionally addressed corruption’s detrimental effects—such as in a speech delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima—she emphasized that his campaign manifesto offered little substance on the issue. She warned that this gap could jeopardize the administration’s flagship economic reforms, including tax policies. “Corruption undermines the effectiveness and impact of these reforms,” she told THE WHISTLER. “Without a coherent anti-corruption plan, the administration’s priorities risk being derailed.”
The Chatham House report, released last week, paints a grim picture of public sentiment toward Tinubu’s leadership. Drawing from a survey conducted with Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), it found that 60 percent of Nigerians distrust the president. The study, based on responses from 6,400 households across states like Adamawa, Benue, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Sokoto, and the Federal Capital Territory, revealed widespread skepticism toward key institutions. The police topped the list as the least trusted, with 71 percent of respondents expressing doubt, followed by the judiciary at 61 percent. The federal government ranked fourth, with 58 percent of Nigerians voicing distrust.
Hoffmann’s findings underscore a critical challenge for Tinubu’s administration: restoring faith in governance while delivering on promised reforms. Without a stronger focus on curbing corruption, she cautioned, Nigeria’s progress could remain stalled.
