THIRD MOST corrupt global leader. That was the verdict on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Although the Presidency is yet to issue a formal rebuttal, The Explainer’s findings have indicated how and why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was named among the top finalists for Persons of the Year in Organised Crime and Corruption. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which describes itself as the largest investigative journalism organizations in the world, is headquartered in Amsterdam and has staff across six continents. The organization says its mission-driven nonprofit newsroom partners with other media outlets to publish stories that lead to real-world action against corruption.
The poll, which returned data showing the Nigerian leader as the third on the list of the “persons of the year, drew its voters from a global network of journalists, readers, and corruption watchdogs. It puts the spotlight on leaders who have allegedly facilitated organized crime and corruption in their respective domains.
“We asked for nominations from readers, journalists, the Person of the Year judges and others in the OCCRP global network,” the OCCRP stated in a profile on its website. The Explainer gathered that Tinubu’s ranking on the list was finalized after 55,000 nominations were reviewed, placing him behind Kenya’s President William Ruto and Indonesia’s former president Joko Widodo. Others on the list include Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
“The finalists who received the most votes this year were: President of Kenya William Ruto; Former President of Indonesia Joko Widodo; President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina; Indian businessman Gautam Adani.”
The OCCRP cited Tinubu’s alleged involvement in financial improprieties, including links to drug trafficking and wealth sourced from questionable means. These allegations gained traction during Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign when questions surrounding his financial history and assets reemerged as hot button issues on the campaign trail.
One of the key factors contributing to Tinubu’s reputation is the opacity surrounding his wealth. A major scandal emerged in May 2023, with allegations that the President’s son Seyi Tinubu, owned a $10.8 million London mansion initially linked to criminal proceeds. The property, once owned by Kolawole Aluko—an associate involved in financial crimes—was scheduled for confiscation by Nigerian authorities in 2017 but was later acquired by Seyi.
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This revelation added to a series of allegations, including claims of forgery and drug-related activities, that have followed Tinubu since his time as Lagos State governor. Despite these controversies, Tinubu’s political career has hardly been impacted, as he trudged on to the Nigerian Presidency.
However, his presidency has been marked by widespread criticism and public dissatisfaction. In its 18 months in charge, the government has faced intense scrutiny over policies that many economic experts have argued, worsened the cost-of-living crisis in an already impoverished country.
President Tinubu’s decision to hastily remove fuel subsidies and implement the free-floating of the national currency led to hyperinflation and nationwide protests. The #EndBadGovernance protests, which lasted from August 1 to 10, were among the most significant demonstrations of 2024. Protesters decried hunger, poverty, and mismanagement, just as they denounced corruption and called for accountability.
Several of these protesters were arrested, detained for months and arraigned for treason, among other charges. Videos of the detained children sparked outrage on social media, forcing the administration to release them after sustained public outcry.
Nonetheless, Tinubu’s ranking on the OCCRP list reflects not just his controversies but a broader pattern of corruption in Nigerian leadership and governance. Previous Nigerian leaders, including Sani Abacha and Goodluck Jonathan, have faced similar allegations of embezzlement and mismanagement.
General Abacha’s regime is synonymous with grand-scale embezzlement of public funds. Investigations have revealed that he, along with his associates, systematically looted billions of dollars from the Central Bank of Nigeria under the guise of national security expenditures.
However, Tinubu’s inclusion among the most corrupt leaders of 2024 underscores the challenges of governance in Africa’s largest democracy. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of global anti-corruption measures and the role of international institutions in holding leaders accountable. For Nigerians, who have been on the receiving end of the impacts of corruption, the OCCRP ranking is a reflection of the frustrations largely expressed about how corruption has hobbled the country’s manifest destiny. As poverty and economic hardship deepen, calls for transparency, accountability, and reforms continue to grow louder. As if aware such a damning report will be issued about the President, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) recently called on Tinubu to publicly declare his assets.
SERAP urged Tinubu “to request the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to publish your assets and encourage your Vice-President Kashim Shettima, ministers, and the leadership of the National Assembly, state governors, as well as the chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 local governments to also request the CCB to publish their assets.”
The Explainer recalls that the president had during his first Presidential Media Chat reportedly said, “I will consider asking the CCB to release my assets.” In the letter dated 28 December 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “We welcome your reported decision to consider asking the CCB to publish your assets as a significant development, and a signal of your intent, willingness, and commitment to show leadership on this important matter of public interest.”
SERAP said, “But your ‘consideration’ would ‘carry more weight’ if you were to promptly translate the intent into action by asking the CCB to publish your assets and encouraging your Vice-President, ministers, leadership of the National Assembly and state governors, as well as the chairmen of local governments to do the same.”
According to the frontline accountability advocacy organization, secrecy in the assets declared by high-ranking public officials to the CCB continues to facilitate corruption at all levels of government, especially in the country’s 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and federal ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs], as well as local governments. SERAP similarly warned that secrecy in asset declaration forms also provides the biggest opportunities for the abuse of public money for private gain. The group therefore urged the President to remove the veil of secrecy from his assets and influence other top officials to do the same to reduce the opportunities for corruption at all levels of government.
