Anti-corruption programs in Africa often fail because they focus on the morality of individuals rather than the structure of money flows.
March 31, 2026
Original Paper
THE FAILURE OF ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS IN AFRICA: Diagnosis of a Methodological Impasse
SSRN · 6226359
The Takeaway
The study identifies a 'methodological impasse' where billions are spent on ethical training and oversight agencies that ultimately act as 'ghost agencies' to satisfy donors. It argues that corruption is systemic and structural, meaning that trying to 'moralize' bureaucrats is a fundamentally unsuited approach for neutralizing patrimonial wealth flows.
From the abstract
Despite more than two decades of anti-corruption strategies supported by the international community, Africa remains the continent where corruption costs the most: 148 billion dollars per year according to the African Development Bank, representing 25% of continental GDP. This article examines the paradoxical failure of anticorruption policies in Africa and identifies the causes of a major methodological impasse. The analysis reveals that despite the multiplication of international conventions,