Legal and institutional dimensions of corruption in Africa: Implications for sustainable development

Corruption is one of the most significant structural issues that hinders sustainable development in Africa. It undermines social justice, economic growth, governance, and environmental protection. This article critically analyses the systemic and institutionalised corruption present in the political economy and governance structures of some African nations. It looks at the institutional framework that has been adopted to hold people accountable and how well current anti-corruption laws work. It posits that, although many African countries have officially made their legal systems more in line with regional and international anti-corruption tools like the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, there is still room for improvement. The study adopts a doctrinal and comparative analytical approach. It reveals that even though there are more anti-corruption laws and groups, political interference, a lack of institutional independence, institutional incapacity, selective prosecution, and a lack of accountability make it difficult to enforce these laws. It demonstrates how service delivery is, inequality worsens, public resources are unevenly distributed, and as such, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are unattainable due to corruption. It also appraises how important institutional accountability, transparency, and the rule of law are to making sustainable development achievable. It concludes that, alongside legal reform, substantial institutional fortification, heightened civic engagement, and contextually responsive accountability mechanisms capable of challenging entrenched power structures are essential for genuine advancement. The paper contributes to ongoing scholarly and policy debates by offering a thorough legal and institutional analysis of corruption and sustainable development in Africa.