A systematic literature review of academic corruption (2005-2025) in the Nigerian higher education context

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53761/fdrwtf90

Keywords:

Corruption, Nigeria, Leadership, Systematic Review, Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Corruption within the leadership and management of Nigerian higher education is a substantial impediment to the sector's capacity to foster social and economic advancement. This study aims to understand the various forms of academic corruption among leaders in Nigerian higher education institutions (HEIs) and identify potential remedies for corrupt practices. Employing a systematic literature review methodology across Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, DOAJ, and Google Scholar, 33 papers were included in the analysis, all of which highlighted the prevalence and rising concern of corruption among Nigerian higher education leaders and management. Findings indicate the most common forms of corruption are bribery, misappropriation of funds, favouritism/nepotism, embezzlement, and selling of admission and appointments. The proposed solutions emphasise strengthening anti-corruption agencies, promoting accountability, implementing ethical re-engineering, and leveraging technology.

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Author Biographies

  • Miracle Uzochukwu Okafor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University

    Miracle Uzochukwu Okafor is a PhD student in Educational Leadership and Management at the Southwest University Chongqing- China. He is also a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, under the Department of Chinese Studies. He is an expert in teaching Chinese language to speakers of other languages. His area of research interest is foreign language education, TCFL, education management, policy studies, and teacher professional development. He is an independent researcher and collaborator with different researchers across the globe.

  • Dr. Amina A. Juma, Dodoma University, Tanzania

    Dr. Amina A. Juma, a Ph.D. holder in Educational Leadership and Management, is a Lecturer at Dodoma University in Tanzania. Her extensive expertise as an educator is a testament to her wide range of theoretical and practical knowledge in teaching and learning, quality education, education leadership and administration, policy studies, professionalism, 21st-century learning, and economics of education. This expertise, coupled with her role as an autonomous researcher specialising in education and her collaborations with scholars locally and internationally, makes her a valuable asset in the field of education.

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Published

2026-02-26

Data Availability Statement

The data is available at request

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026): Quarterly Issue 1

Section

Educational Leadership and Management

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Miracle Uzochukwu Okafor, Dr. Amina A. Juma

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

A systematic literature review of academic corruption (2005-2025) in the Nigerian higher education context. (2026). Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.53761/fdrwtf90