Is Integrity Becoming a Lost Virtue in Nigerian Business?

I recently started working with a business owner who’s already on his eighth team of employees—all reportedly caught stealing from the company. From security guards and cleaners to cashiers and managers, each group found new ways to siphon money. Even police escorts and tighter controls couldn’t stop fraud. Two former managers were reportedly making three times their salaries through illicit means. This experience made me question our national character. We often read about fraud arrests, drug trafficking, and internet scams, then condemn corrupt politicians—forgetting they emerge from the same society that values shortcuts over honesty. Technology, policies, CCTV, and audits can help reduce fraud. But no system replaces character. Integrity is what you do when no one is watching. So ask yourself: if every Nigerian acted like me, what kind of country would we become?

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