ROLE OF E-GOVERNANCE IN COMBATING CORRUPTION IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC) ABUJA.

This study examines the role of e-governance in combating corruption within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), with particular focus on transparency, reducing bribery, enhancing accountability, and addressing implementation challenges, which was grounded in public choice theory. A sample of 202 participants comprising AMAC staff, residents, and stakeholders was selected using Taro Yamane’s formula, with 172 valid responses analyzed through descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. The findings reveal that e-governance significantly enhances transparency by improving access to public information and reducing bureaucratic opacity. It also reduces bribery and kickbacks by automating service delivery and minimizing human interaction, while strengthening accountability through traceable digital processes. However, persistent challenges such as limited internet connectivity, digital illiteracy, resistance to change, and insufficient funding hinder the full realization of e-governance potential. Regression analysis confirms that increased transparency, reduced bribery, and improved accountability are significantly associated with lower corruption levels, whereas implementation challenges exacerbate corrupt practices. The study concludes that e-governance, when properly implemented and supported by adequate infrastructure, funding, capacity building, and political commitment, holds substantial promise for curbing corruption and improving public sector governance in Nigeria’s municipal systems