Governance
From Murtala Mohammed's purges of the public service to Buhari's “change begins with me”, promising to fight corruption is the one pledge nearly every Nigerian leader has made. The country's standing on international corruption indices has barely moved.
From late 1975 the regime dismissed more than 10,000 civil servants, judges, police, diplomats and academics without benefits, on grounds of age, health, incompetence or malpractice. It was popular at first as a strike against a discredited elite, but the lack of due process, and the fear it instilled, are now judged to have done lasting damage to the civil service's morale and independence.
The Second Republic instead became a synonym for large-scale graft. The scale of corruption and mismanagement — alongside the discredited 1983 elections — was the stated justification for the military coup that ended it, and hundreds of officials were later tried.
About 500 politicians, officials and businessmen of the Second Republic were tried before military tribunals for corruption in 20 months, some drawing very long sentences. But detainees could buy release on terms, the tribunals offered no proper defence rights, and the campaign was widely seen as selective — heavier on the NPP/UPN opposition than on NPN allies.
The EFCC (2003) and ICPC (2000) were established as Nigeria's first dedicated anti-corruption agencies, and significant sums of Abacha-era looted funds were recovered internationally. However, enforcement was widely seen as selective — pursued vigorously against political opponents such as Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while allies faced less scrutiny — and corruption remained pervasive through the term.
The term was marked by a string of high-profile scandals — the 2012 fuel subsidy fraud probe, the police pension fund theft, the Stella Oduah car procurement scandal, and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's unremitted NNPC funds allegation — with few convictions and several officials, including Sanusi himself, facing what critics called retaliation for whistleblowing rather than the underlying wrongdoers facing consequences.
High-profile EFCC prosecutions and asset recovery — including the Abacha loot repatriation deals — were notable. However, critics noted selective prosecution and continued immunity for political allies. OECD estimates roughly $1 billion was recovered during the term.
Tax reform bills include transparency provisions. However, critics including NLC and opposition note that anti-corruption action has not been visible. No high-profile convictions of political figures have occurred.
Each entry is one rated promise — follow it to that administration’s full scorecard. Ratings use the four verdicts defined in the methodology.