Bribery is no doubt a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the Nigerian economy, especially with regards to governments and even in interpersonal relationships between individuals. The situation of the Nigerian economy is dire as bribery now cuts through almost every area of national life. Despite the fact that bribery constitutes a breach of fiduciary duties, especially in principal/agent relationships, it remains solely and majorly a crime in Nigeria. In other more progressive jurisdictions however, such as the UK and Canada, bribery is classified as both a civil wrong, and an offence. The civil wrong of bribery is entirely different from the offence of bribery. It relates to a principal/agent relationship, especially where such agent has received a bribe as some sort of inducement to act. This paper seeks to examine the civil wrong of bribery under English Law and to suggest its practical utility in Nigeria.
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