THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF CORRUPTION AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN AFRICA: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Corruption has been identified as one of the major cankerworms responsible for African underdevelopment since independence. In addition to the lack of development or at best slow pace of development occasioned by the monumental level of corruption on the continent; the basic needs of the people, which have to do with the availability of food, shelter and security, are all not available to the common man across the continent. This paper therefore aims at identifying the cause(s) of existing gap in infrastructural development and its subsequent effect on service delivery to the people and to identify those behind the causes of these gaps. In other words, the paper identifies the perpetuators and the benefactors of corruption and their cronies on the continent, with particular focus on Nigeria. It discussed how this has affected service delivery, in terms of the provision of basic needs of life to the citizenry. To achieve this, the paper adopted the secondary method of data generation, which has to do with the use of text books, Journal articles, news magazines and internet sourced materials, amongst others. The paper observed that the high level of profligacy among the political class and the tradition of the elevation of mediocrity over merit in Africa, especially in Nigeria, are responsible for the inability of the states in Africa to deliver on the basic needs of the people. The paper suggests that it will take amajor revolt by the people or the emergence of a revolutionary leadership for there to be a radical change from the prevailing order.