Anti-Corruption Research Dissemination and Private Sector Sustainability: Evidence from African Anti-Corruption Agencies

Abstract

Corruption remains one of the most pervasive obstacles to sustainable development across Africa, imposing substantial costs on the private sector through distorted markets, unfair competition, and eroded stakeholder trust (Transparency International, 2025). Recent evidence indicates that 64% of South Africans believe most business leaders are corrupt, highlighting the magnitude of the challenge facing the continent (Human Sciences Research Council, 2025). Although the private sector is increasingly acknowledged as both a casualty of corruption and a critical collaborator for attaining the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the methods by which anti-corruption information is put into practice by businesses are not well understood (Nicaise and Rahman, 2025). In Africa, Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) have devised creative methods for involving commercial enterprises, which encompass educational campaigns, reward programs for law-abiding firms, and collaborations between public and private entities (Basel Institute on Governance, 2024). Emerging research demonstrates that anti-corruption compliance programmes correlate with improved market share, profit margins, and sustainable growth (Jenkins and Ishikawa, 2025). However, the effectiveness of disseminating anti-corruption research findings as a predictor of sustainable business delivery has received limited empirical attention. Analysis of firm-level data across sub-Saharan Africa identifies corruption as among the most severe impediments to firm growth, frequently surpassing infrastructure deficiencies as a binding constraint (International Monetary Fund, 2025). The challenge is particularly acute for small and medium-sized enterprises, which face disproportionate barriers and are often excluded from formal anti-corruption frameworks (Pillay, 2025). Furthermore, the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement and knowledge dissemination is contingent upon institutional trust, with the possibility of bribery diluting the effectiveness of regulatory interventions regardless of entrepreneurs' trust levels (Nyemi, 2025). This study addresses the gap by examining the extent to which the dissemination of anti-corruption research findings by ACAs predicts sustainable delivery in the private sector across African countries. Drawing on institutional theory and knowledge translation frameworks, we investigate dissemination practices, mediating mechanisms, and contextual moderators. By offering evidence-based insights, this paper contributes to strengthening the business case for integrity and optimising ACA strategies for sustainable private sector development in Africa.