PROTECTION OF WHISTLEBLOWERS IN THE NIGERIAN CORPORATE ORGANISATION: A LEGAL APPROACH

Abstract

There has been a significant upsurge in the recognition of the value of whistleblowing as a channel of unveiling information about illegal or unethical activities thus taking positive steps towards eradication of corruption. Eradication of corruption is impossible without cooperation from both internal and external sources. As a result of the grave consequences of reporting, whistleblowers will rather be silent. As such, it is important to protect whistleblowers if the desired result must be achieved with respect to corporate and government institutional compliance to regulations. Using the doctrinal research methodology, this paper examines the concept of whistleblowing as a tool for the sustenance of development in a nation with a view to finding out whether or not protection of whistleblowers is worth legislative attention. It identifies the inadequacy of the protection available to whistleblowers and recommends that legislation protecting whistleblowers should do much more than merely providing for protection; it should also provide for investigating the malpractice and eradicating it completely from the system.

Keywords: Whistleblowing, Malpractice, Corporations, Protected disclosure, Fiduciary.