Analysis of Whistleblowing Policies and Their Effect on Information Governance in Nigerian Public Institutions

This study analyses the relationship between whistleblowing policies and information governance quality in Nigerian public institutions, with analytical evidence drawn from selected federal agencies and parastatals. Whistleblowing mechanisms serve as critical channels for disclosing governance failures, records falsification, and information mismanagement, making their effectiveness a direct indicator of institutional information governance maturity. The research employs a mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase surveys 265 administrative and records staff in twelve federal agencies using validated whistleblowing policy effectiveness and information governance quality instruments. The qualitative phase conducts document analysis of published whistleblowing cases and policy documents. The Agency Theory, the Accountability Framework, and the Information Governance Maturity Model provide the theoretical anchors, with literature from 2020 to 2024 on whistleblowing and public sector governance in Nigeria supporting the study. Dimensions examined include policy awareness, reporting mechanism accessibility, retaliation protection adequacy, and case follow-through rates. The study addresses the gap between policy design and operational effectiveness in Nigerian public sector whistleblowing. Recommendations target the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and the Office of the Attorney General. Keywords: whistleblowing, information governance, public institutions, Nigeria, accountability