Public perceptions of political corruption among political actors and its implications for social development at the subnational level in Benue State, Nigeria

Political corruption, among other forms, is one of the most harmful types of corruption affecting subnational development in many developing countries. This study focuses on the perceptions of political corruption among political actors in Benue State, Nigeria, regarding its nature, frequency, and persistence, and whether these perceptions are statistically related to the state’s level of social development. Data were obtained from 400 respondents, with 394 valid returns (98.5% response rate), across the three senatorial districts of the State of Benue. The researcher used semi-structured questionnaires and a Key Informant Interview (KII) guide to collect data and consulted secondary sources. The quantitative analysis of the collected data was conducted using SPSS (Version 23), and the qualitative responses were thematically analysed. The study’s theoretical framework was mainly derived from the Rational Choice Theory. A Pearson Chi-Square test confirmed that there was a significant association between perceived political corruption and perceived social development (χ2 = 218.106, df = 8, p < .001; Cramer’s V = 0.526). The respondents said the most common types of political corruption are embezzlement, vote buying, bribery and nepotism, and blamed the inability to properly enforce the law by the anti-corruption watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for the continuation of such practices. The study concludes that residents in Benue State view political corruption as a routine and systemic issue, and that there is a strong association between perceived political corruption and low perceived social development, with infrastructure, employment and standard of living the dimensions most often identified as affected. It provides sub-national evidence that is policy-relevant and infrequent in the national-level analysis literature, to inform anti-corruption reform, institutional strengthening, and civic sensitisation activities in Nigeria and other parts of the Global South.