The policy brief, Non-State Actions: Media-Civil Society Partnership Against Corruption’s Policy Belief by the HEDA Resource Centre with support from the MacArthur Foundation, draws from discussions and recommendations at the 30th Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR) held on July 11-12, 2023, in Abuja. The theme was “Reviewing the Fight Against Corruption: From Buhari’s Regime to Setting the Agenda for the Tinubu Administration.”
The policy brief sets the tone by contextualizing corruption and highlight its implication, chief of which is the increasing millions of Nigerians who are extremely poor. It submits that addressing corruption requires a multi-pronged approach, and two essential allies in this battle are the media and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), known as non-state actors.
The brief further recognises that the Media and CSOs face several challenges which include limitations in access to information as well as constrained media freedom. This means that corruption often thrives in environments where
information is not readily available to the publics. The policy therefore suggests that anti-corruption platforms of civil society should network with the media and labour unions for inclusivity. There should also be a partnership between the media and CSOs for the establishment of investigative desks and capacity building for journalists as critical action points.
