Naziru Mikail Abubakar, Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, has urged anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria to treat the media as a critical partner in efforts to fight corruption, emphasizing the need for deeper collaboration to shift public attitudes and drive behavioural change.

Abubakar made the remarks on Tuesday at a high-level policy dialogue organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), and supported by the MacArthur Foundation. The event, held in Abuja, was themed “Corruption, Social Norms and Behavioural Change.”

Speaking as a panelist, Abubakar said combating corruption in Nigeria requires more than legal enforcement or institutional reforms, adding that it also demands a shift in the country’s values and social norms.

“The media has a key role to play in fighting corruption in Nigeria,” he said. “Public persuasion cannot be achieved without the media.”

Abubakar, a veteran journalist who spent years at the BBC World Service in senior management roles before joining Daily Trust, criticized what he called an “afterthought approach” to public communication by many government institutions. He argued that effective communication should be embedded in anti-corruption strategies from the outset, rather than being deployed only in moments of crisis.

“When designing anti-corruption policies and strategies, communication and media engagement must be integrated from the beginning—not as an emergency tool when things start to fall apart,” he said.

He also called on agencies such as the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to strengthen how they report their performance to the public, stating that transparency and access to timely, accurate information would build greater public trust and support media reporting efforts.

“Agencies like the ICPC need to do more in terms of performance reporting. The media is ready to engage, but there has to be access to timely, clear, and useful information,” Abubakar added.

The media, Abubakar said, plays a vital role in shaping values, amplifying positive norms, and holding institutions accountable. He urged anti-corruption bodies to establish more structured partnerships with media houses to improve both public engagement and the effectiveness of their work.

“There should be stronger collaboration between news outlets and anti-corruption agencies,” he said. “This event is a step in the right direction. It shows that the media and anti-corruption institutions can work together for the good of our country.”

The policy dialogue featured a wide range of speakers, including Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by George Akume, secretary to Nigeria’s federal government. Other panelists included Professor Toyin Falola of the University of Texas at Austin, who delivered the keynote address; Professor Etannibi Alemika; JAMB Registrar Professor Is-haq Oloyede; Professor Isaac Nnamdi; and Rev. Fr. George Ehusani.

While several speakers focused on legal frameworks and institutional accountability, Abubakar offered a media-centric view, arguing that journalism can drive behavioural change by framing public discourse and showcasing stories of integrity.

“We are not just reporters,” he said. “We are influencers of public norms. If we consistently highlight stories of integrity, transparency, and accountability, we will begin to shape a new national value system.”

In his opening remarks, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, Chairman of the ICPC, emphasized the corrosive impact of social norms that tolerate corruption across ethnic and religious divides.

“Legal enforcement remains vital,” Owasanoye said, “ but it is insufficient without complementary self-regulatory social mechanisms to achieve behavioural change.”

“Achieving the goal of behavioural change in a society with endemic corruption involves a complex and sometimes a long process that requires a multi-sectoral brainstorming session to develop appropriate policy framework.”

Presenting survey data from ACAN, Owasanoye highlighted troubling community attitudes, including the normalization of unexplained wealth among public officials and expectations of largesse at public events, which fuel corruption.

Professor Toyin Falola of the University of Texas at Austin, provided a historical and socio-political context for corruption in Nigeria. He argued that transforming behaviours and fostering integrity requires active participation across society, including the political elite.

“Corruption runs deep and is intertwined with governance failures and historical legacies,” Falola said. “The political class must lead transformation, or risk being forced into unpredictable change by the people.”

Falola recommended reviving judicial independence, empowering civic education agencies, reducing the financial incentives of office, and creating social safety nets to rebuild trust and create a functional middle class.

Other dignitaries echoed the importance of value reorientation. Senator George Akume, secretary to Nigeria’s federal government, reflected on a past society rooted in stronger moral foundations, calling for the revival of those values. Senate President Dr. Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas stressed the need to instill ethics early in education and to strengthen legal frameworks while addressing societal attitudes that celebrate wealth and power regardless of means.

The dialogue was declared open by the Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, and included messages from the National Orientation Agency and Nigerian Bar Association.

The dialogue is part of ICPC’s broader initiative to reframe anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria by incorporating public perception, cultural values, and citizen participation into its strategies.

The event concluded with agreement among stakeholders that fostering behavioural change is as much about communication and social influence as it is about enforcement—a shift that may gain momentum if the media is given a central role.