Leveraging records management to enhance governance: insights from anti-corruption practitioners

Abstract

This study explores the role of records management in fostering good governance by investigating anti-corruption practitioners' views on maintaining proper records. This research uses a qualitative case study methodology, gathering data through interviews with 15 anti-corruption investigators in Nigeria in 2020, and analysing them thematically. The findings highlight the criticality of records in fighting corruption and ensuring accountability, transparency, and effective resource management, which are fundamental pillars of good governance. This study demonstrates how proper records management contributes to these goals and how leaders can use recorded knowledge to enhance governance and facilitate informed decision-making. This study provides empirical evidence that investing in records management leads to better decision-making and service delivery. Furthermore, it emphasises the importance of preserving and accessing records as a critical step towards good governance, particularly in fighting corruption, which remains a significant obstacle worldwide.