The Role of Administrative Ethics and Accountability in Public Service Effectiveness in Nigeria

This paper seeks to explore the role of administrative ethics and accountability in enhancing the effectiveness of public service in Nigeria. The paper examines the relationship between administrative ethics and accountability within the context of Nigeria’s public service in order to identify the key factors that contribute to unethical practices in Nigeria’s public administrative system. It argues that what has contributed to the ineffective, inefficient and non-productive performance in the Nigerian public service is the lack of sound administrative ethics and accountability which have over the years failed to be properly promoted or instituted in order to achieve the lofty goals and objectives of the civil service. Anchored on a qualitative research paradigm, the paper uses a conceptual approach by employing a literature-based methodology to understand the systemic and institutional dynamics that shape the ethical conduct within the Nigerian public sector. The paper finds out that there are ethical standards and rules which governs the Nigerian public service but these standards are undermined because of weak institutional framework to monitor its implementation. The paper advocates for sensitization and awareness programmes for civil servants on the values and standards outlined by the civil service rules, granting full autonomy to anti-corruption agencies in order to strengthen their operational capacity, the improvement of the working conditions of civil servants in order to reduce their temptations towards corruption and other unethical practices as well as the application of stricter penalties for corrupt practices as necessary deterrent to unethical conduct within the civil service.