Professional Ethics and Conflict of Interest Management in Nigerian Civil Service

This study examines the management of professional ethics violations and conflicts of interest within the Nigerian Civil Service, drawing on case evidence from the public service in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Conflicts of interest in public administration represent a significant governance challenge in Nigeria, undermining policy integrity, fuelling corruption, and generating institutional conflict between ethical mandates and personal interests. Using a professional practice research framework, the study collected data through semi-structured interviews with 35 civil servants, ethics compliance officers, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) officials, and administrative law specialists in Awka and Onitsha. Documentary analysis of the Code of Conduct Bureau's enforcement records and civil service disciplinary committee reports between 2020 and 2024 provided secondary data. The theoretical framework draws from professional ethics theory and principal-agent theory of public administration. Findings indicate that conflicts of interest in Anambra's civil service are most concentrated in procurement, contract award, and revenue management functions, and that existing ethics enforcement mechanisms are significantly hampered by political protection of violators and inadequate institutional independence of oversight bodies. Recommendations include strengthening the operational independence of Anambra's civil service ethics units, instituting mandatory professional ethics training in conflict-of-interest identification and management, and establishing anonymous reporting mechanisms with whistleblower protection. Keywords: professional ethics, conflict of interest, Nigerian civil service, governance, Anambra State.