Nigeria Strengthens Whistleblower Protection Policy

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Federal Government has kicked off a two-day nationwide sensitization programme on the implementation of Nigeria’s Whistleblowing Policy.

This is with a renewed commitment to protect whistleblowers and strengthen the fight against corruption.

The event, by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), in Lagos, brought together government officials, anti-corruption agencies, private sector stakeholders, and civil society representatives.

Declaring the programme open, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said the Whistleblowing Policy remains a key instrument in reporting financial crimes.

A statement on Thursday by the Director of Press, Mohammad Manga, says the policy will also be key in fighting mismanagement of public funds, and illicit activities within both the public and private sectors.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Raymond Omenka Omachi, the Minister explained that the sensitization exercise was designed to educate stakeholders on the policy’s framework, reporting procedures, and protections available to whistleblowers.

“The Whistleblowing Policy is designed to encourage citizens to report suspicious activities or wrongdoing without fear of retaliation. The Federal Government is fully committed to protecting whistleblowers while promoting transparency and accountability in public financial management,” Edun stated.

In his keynote address, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called for the passage of the Whistleblower Protection Bill to institutionalize the policy and guarantee legal safeguards for whistleblowers.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Taxation, Abdul-Kabir Opeyemi-Ogunbo, Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of public trust in sustaining anti-corruption reforms.

The Lagos sensitization programme marks the beginning of a nationwide campaign to deepen awareness of the Whistleblowing Policy and strengthen compliance across all sectors.