NGO urges enactment of whistleblower protection law
NGO urges enactment of whistleblower protection law
Step Up Nigeria, a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), has called on the Federal Government to enact a whistleblower protection law to safeguard citizens who expose wrongdoing and corruption in the country.
The Director of Programmes of the organisation, Feranmi Iyanda, made the call on Thursday in Abuja during a media roundtable held as part of activities marking the 2026 World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition.
Iyanda expressed concern over the absence of a comprehensive legal framework to protect whistleblowers, saying the gap leaves citizens vulnerable to victimisation and retaliation for speaking out.
“Everything we are advocating here is for the law to protect whistleblowers. We want to have a whistleblower protection law in Nigeria.
“There’s no whistleblower protection law that mandates what the status quo protections for whistleblowers in Nigeria is.
“In the entire continent of Africa, only eight countries have had a whistleblower protection law,” she said.
Also speaking, Mr Suleiman Achile, Deputy Director, Civil Society Mobilisation Unit of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said the commission had institutionalised anti-corruption structures in schools to promote integrity among young people.
Represented by Dr Babasola Oluwasina, Deputy Director, Education Department, ICPC, Achile said the commission had established Anti-Corruption Clubs in secondary schools and Student Anti-Corruption Vanguards in tertiary institutions nationwide.
“The ICPC has raised several youth engagement programmes in terms of integrity, giving them sense to be able to uphold the issue of integrity and accountability.
“At the level of the secondary students, We have established a student anti-corruption club.
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“Then at the level of the tertiary institution, we have established what we call student anti-corruption vanguard.
“They are being taught on issues of integrity, accountability, so that wherever they find themselves, they will be able to uphold these virtues,” he said.
He added that the commission was also implementing the National Ethics and Integrity Policy to strengthen ethical standards across all sectors of society.
Also, the Communications Manager of Step Up Nigeria, Dr Shekwogaza Kure, said the World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition was designed to provide young Nigerians with a platform to use creativity as a tool for advocacy.
According to him, the initiative seeks to amplify youth voices and promote conversations around accountability, transparency and stronger legal protection for whistleblowers.
“The 2026 World Whistleblower Day Art and Media Competition was designed to amplify young voices and encourage conversations on whistleblowing, accountability, transparency and the need for stronger legal protection for whistleblowers in Nigeria,” he said.
Kure disclosed that the competition received 172 entries, comprising 111 submissions from males and 61 from females.
He said winners received cash prizes and recognition for their advocacy efforts, with the overall category winners receiving N500,000 each, while second-place winners received N200,000.
He identified the category winners as Gilbert Owan (Skits), Damilola Akinfolarin (Music), Anita Nwokoji (Poetry and Spoken Word), Moses Sodipo (Artwork), and Oguche Onuche.
Speaking on behalf of the winners, Nwokoji urged Nigerians not to remain silent in the face of wrongdoing.
“Wrongdoing is wrongdoing, whether it occurs in a workplace, community or any other environment.
“People should speak up whenever they witness corruption or misconduct,” she said.
