Predictors of corruption among town planners: A Nigerian case study

Abstract

This article examines the predictors of corruption among selected town planners in Ogun State, Nigeria, through the Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory. Questionnaires were used to gather data about corruption, economic situation, job dissatisfaction, lack of commitment, learnt behaviour (criminal or anti-criminal), and reinforcement favourable to corruption among the sample of 81 town planners. Descriptive statistics, bivariate relationships, and a series of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models were used to analyse the data. Findings show that variables with the highest correlation with corruption are job dissatisfaction, commitment, learnt criminal behaviour, and reinforcement towards corruption. Findings also show that town planners significantly engage more in corruption when higher levels of job dissatisfaction and higher levels of lack of commitment interact with higher levels of learnt criminal behaviour. This study makes an important theoretical contribution to the existing literature as well as to urban and regional planning practice in Nigeria, considering the accountability of town-planning ‘officials’.