ABSTRACT
One of the major challenges of governance in Nigeria is corruption especially in the public
service. In response to this challenge, the Federal Government established the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to combat corruption and
promote transparency and accountability. Over the years however, the fight against corruption
seems not to have achieved the desired result. The general objective of the study was to assess
the institutional mechanism for dealing with corruption in the Nigerian public service for the
period 1999 – 2020. Specifically, the study; examine the level of effectiveness of the anticorruption
institutions in combating corruption in federal public service, identify the problems
faced by the institutions and suggest ways to make them more effective. Data were sourced using
both primary and secondary methods. These were presented and analyzed using both descriptive
and inferential statistical methods. The study revealed inter alia that; the activities of the
institutions, especially the EFCC were severely constrained by undue political interference. Both
the ICPC and CCB were not adequately funded and that they all lacked financial autonomy. The
study also discovered that punishments for corruption offences were not severe enough to serve
deterrence. The study concludes that an increase in the level of autonomy of the anti-corruption
institutions and an increase in the level of enforcement of punishments for corruption offences
will among other things improve the level of effectiveness of the anti-corruption institutions. The
study recommended that the anti-corruption institutions need to be free from political
interference and be adequatelyfunded including giving severe punishments for corruption
offences
