United Voice of Badagry People Initiative (UVOBPI)

Country: Nigeria
Website: https://www.thevoiceofbadagry.org/
Social media: Twitter
Focal Point: Femi Senu, Founder of UVOBPI
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Mission and vision

We are young-minded individuals who have formed a results-driven Nigerian NGO of high integrity keepers. Grateful for project experience and team ambitions, we are committed
through donations and volunteer activity, to help the people in Lagos, Badagry as dynamically as possible.

We support Badagry’s people to raise awareness about the problems facing Badagry and the town, and to provide platforms for people to freely voice their opinions.

General description of the CSO work in the anti-corruption area

Our Projects include the:

  • Aspire Programme
  • Expose Corruption Programme
  • Uphold Community Strength Programme

The target audience of our programmes is youth and the population at large to enlighten and empower them so that they can enhance their future potential, thereby improving their living conditions in the medium to long term. To begin, we started first with the Aspire Programme. To implement our projects, we have created intervention methods known as: Transparency-Empowerment-Accountability-Management-Communication-and Organisation (TEAMCO), with a focus to ensure that leaders perform their duties.

Specific description of the CSO work in relation to the UNCAC and the review mechanism of the UNCAC

UVOBPI does not at the time of this application participate directly in the review mechanism in Nigeria. However, in UVOBPI advocacy roles, leaders of the organisation have explored UVOBPI platforms to promote transparency and inclusive UNCAC agendas reaching over 50 million Nigerians.

Considering the UNCAC’s roles for the purpose of the implementation of the Convention and contributing to its review mechanism, UVOBPI’s direct monitoring, observation and advocacy roles include: advocating for national anti-corruption strategies capable of holding public officials accountable, monitoring the efficacy of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), corruption laws and enforcement practices, and advocating against bribery and corruption.

UVOBPI’s considers UNCAC Chapter III on criminalization and law enforcement, looking at bribery and trading in influence as detailed in Articles 15, 16, 18 and 21 of the UNCAC, and connecting this to the application of the Nigerian Criminal Code in sections 8–10 of the ICPC. It has been observed that “Nigeria has criminalized active and passive bribery” (UNODC, 2014, p. 3). The first report also reveals that some aspects of Nigeria’s laws have been ineffective regarding the bribery of foreign public officials.

Considering best practices, the founder of UVOBPI’s academic article reveals that Nigeria has enough authorities and legislation in place to fight corruption. The Acts of the National Assembly alongside other Acts form an important part of Nigeria’s domestic law. However, Nigeria still lacks a national anti-corruption strategy. The Country Review Report of Nigeria and the first cycle of UNCAC’s implementation mechanisms confirm that such a strategy is still “pending” (UNODC, 2017, p. 3). An example is, the conflicts identified between ICPC and EFCC considering other aspects of laws that aim to fight corruption in Nigeria.

A global civil society network promoting the implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)