Systemic Reform or Selective Justice? Assessing the EFCC’s Performance in Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Regime, 2015–2024.

Abstract

Corruption remains one of the most enduring threats to Nigeria’s development, persistently undermining institutional integrity, democratic governance, and public trust. The emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as President of Nigeria in 2015 with the promise of change, saw the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revitalized as a central instrument in the state’s anti-corruption architecture. Relying on the framework of Structural Functionalism, explanatory research design, secondary sources of data collection and content analysis of data, this study moved beyond mere exploration of the quantitative outcomes of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) anti-corruption efforts - measured by the number of prosecutions and convictions, and the volume of recovered assets between 2014 and 2024. It assessed whether the agency’s operations reflect a genuine commitment to systemic reform aimed at sanitizing the public service and promoting accountability in Nigeria, or whether they function as instruments of selective justice, disproportionately targeting political opponents while shielding allies of the ruling elite. The study found that while the EFCC recorded increased prosecutions, convictions, and asset recoveries between 2015 and 2024, these achievements did not reflect genuine systemic reform, considering the selective justice approach attached to certain high-profile cases. It concluded that the Commission often acted in line with political interests, undermining its credibility as an independent anti-corruption body. The study recommended granting the EFCC full operational autonomy through legislative reform and independent leadership oversight. It also advised establishing transparent asset recovery mechanisms, annual audits, and special anti-corruption courts to improve efficiency and public trust.