The geographies of corruption in Nigeria : understanding the patterns and correlates

Purpose: Globally, corruption has been identified as a major problem. Even though corruption is widespread, it varies in magnitude, types and consequences. In Nigeria, corruption is endemic, and it is responsible for the many socioeconomic problems in the country. Hence, the study aims to determine the patterns and state level correlations of corruption in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: Data for this study were sourced from the National Bureau of Statistics and other official sources and were analyzed with Global Moran’s I, Local Moran’s I and multivariate step-wise regression. Findings: This study’s findings revealed significant clustering of corruption in the country with Rivers States as the only hotspot (I = 0.068; z = 2.524; p < 0.05), while domestic debt and market size were the state level significant predictors. Research limitations/implications: Only bribery as a form of corruption was examined in this study, more studies are needed on the predictors of other forms of corruption. Practical implications: This study recommends increased market competition through investment grants, subsidies and tax incentives to facilitate trade interactions among Nigerians, which can lead to exchange of cultural norms that discourage corruption. It is also advocated that domestic debt must be effectively and efficiently channelled towards economic development which in the long run will have a positive impact on the socio-economic well-being of the citizens as well as drive down corrupt practices. Originality/value: Although the causes of corruption have received considerable attention in the literature, little is known on the geographical distribution and the effect of market size and domestic debt on corruption in Nigeria.