In a move that has sparked both interest and outrage among Nigerians, the House of Representatives has proposed a new bill that seeks to impose a seven-year jail term or a fine of N5 million on individuals found guilty of offering or receiving bribes in workplaces across the country.
The proposed legislation, which is aimed at promoting ethical standards in the Nigerian labour market, covers both public and private institutions. According to the House, the bill is designed to curb the growing trend of workplace corruption, favoritism, sexual exploitation, and unethical recruitment practices that have plagued Nigerian employment systems for decades.
However, while the intent of the bill has been described by some as noble, a large section of the Nigerian public has taken to social media and various public platforms to express deep skepticism, branding the move as “a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.”
Many Nigerians accuse the very lawmakers proposing the bill of entrenching corruption in the legislative arm of government, stating that the House of Representatives itself is widely perceived as a hub of bribery, influence-peddling, and legislative racketeering.
> “This is laughable. A House full of corruption is now pretending to be the moral compass of the nation? Who’s going to jail the lawmakers themselves?” said Ngozi Madu, a civil rights advocate based in Lagos.
> On X (formerly Twitter), user @TruthOverPower posted: “Only in Nigeria will corrupt officials criminalize the very act they commit daily. This is not anti-corruption; it’s elite hypocrisy in high definition.”
Another user, @ArewaPulse, added:
> “Until the National Assembly starts investigating itself and making its budget open and transparent, no anti-corruption bill will be taken seriously. Nigerians are tired of the games.”
Critics argue that the bill appears to be a smokescreen to divert attention from more pressing national issues such as inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and widespread poverty.
Others also questioned the timing of the bill, pointing out that it comes amid allegations of “brown envelope” journalism, contract inflation, and allegations of kickbacks allegedly involving some members of the National Assembly.
Legal experts, meanwhile, have cautioned that without a comprehensive and impartial enforcement mechanism, the proposed anti-bribery law could become yet another toothless piece of legislation, selectively applied and manipulated to target political opponents and low-level employees.
Nonetheless, the House insists that the bill, when passed into law, will signal a bold step toward ridding the country of petty corruption that undermines productivity and meritocracy in the workplace. According to a statement by a ranking member of the House, “This legislation is a reflection of our commitment to rebuilding trust in our institutions and promoting a fair, merit-based society.”
Despite the assurances, public trust remains low, with many Nigerians demanding internal reforms and transparency within the National Assembly itself before any external moral laws are proposed.
The bill is currently undergoing its first reading and will proceed to committee stages in the coming weeks. If passed, it would mark one of the most stringent anti-bribery measures targeted specifically at workplace conduct in Nigeria’s legislative history.
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