Since the African Union declared 11th July as the African Anti-Corruption Day, annual commemorations have served as strategic platforms for reflection, advocacy, and action. As we approach 2026, there is a pressing need to move from awareness to accelerated action. The theme for 2026, “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa,” calls on all Member States, anti-corruption agencies, civil society, media, academia, faith-based leaders and organizations, traditional leaders and authorities, political actors, the private sector, families, and citizens to dramatically expand the scope, depth, and impact of integrity-building measures on the continent
About the African Anti-Corruption Day
The African Union adopted 11th July as the African Anti-Corruption Day to commemorate the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) or the Convention. To date, Forty-Nine (49) Member States of the African Union have ratified the Convention and have proceeded to put in place measures to tackle corruption such as criminalizing corruption through various legislation, establishing institutions as well as engaging in corruption prevention initiatives.
To commemorate the adoption of the AUCPCC, the African Union declared 11th July as the African Anti-Corruption Day. For 2026, the day will be commemorated on the theme, “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa,”.
Defining Integrity in the African Anti-Corruption Context
Integrity, within the meaning of the AUCPCC and the broader African Union governance architecture, refers to the consistent alignment of actions, decisions, and systems with ethical principles, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. At the minimum it is about promoting ethical and accountable behaviour. The Constitutive Act of the African Union and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights recognize integrity as essential to good governance and the realization of human dignity.
Scaling up integrity requires that:
- Core values that undergird Integrity such as honesty, accountability, respect and fairness are identified, codified and systematically promoted by member states.
- Citizens are empowered to exhibit and demand the values of Integrity and ethical conduct from public and private institutions.
- Institutional cultures are transformed to reward honesty, accountability, fairness, respect and public service ethics.
- Investigations and prosecutions are conducted fairly, without political interference, and with full respect for the rights of all persons.
- Prevention measures are proactive, inclusive, and embedded in all sectors of society.
- Tools, Technologies, Methods and Platforms that can accelerate the promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption actions are intentionally identified, harnessed, systematically deployed and consolidated.
Integrity is not merely the absence of corruption; it is the active presence of moral courage, promotion of positive values, civic virtue, and systemic accountability. Hence in scaling up anti-corruption actions, promoting integrity is critical.
Objectives
The celebration of African Anti-Corruption Day 2026, under the theme “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa,” aims to:
i. Recognize the importance of integrity as a cornerstone for corruption prevention
ii. Encourage Member States to adopt and implement national integrity strategies aligned with the AUCPCC and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 aspirations for good governance and shared values.
iii. Encourage all anti-corruption stakeholders to pause, reflect, identify and deploy more effective strategies to scale up their actions in the fight against corruption.
iv. Raise awareness among citizens about the importance of exhibiting or practicing and demanding integrity in public and private life.
v. Strengthen the protection and support systems for integrity champions, whistleblowers, and anti-corruption activists, recognizing their key role in defending Africa’s ethical future.
Get Involved
State Parties and all Stakeholders can participate in the celebration of the African Anti-Corruption Day by: -
Preliminary Activities
i. Using social media to promote the Day, i.e., tweeting about the day using the hashtag #AfricaAgainstCorruption and tagging @AUABC_; and following the African Union Advisory Board against Corruption on Facebook and LinkedIn.
ii. Distributing informative materials such as brochures, posters, and leaflets.
iii. Organizing community outreach programs to engage with citizens at the grassroots level on actions to promote Integrity.
iv. Committing to the promotion of integrity in handling cases for both the accused and victims of Corruption and related offenses.
v. Executing other activities that will be a means to achieving the objectives of the African Anti-Corruption Day.
vi. Citizens voicing out and demanding that duty bearers should act with integrity in the management of public resources.
vii. Participating in activities to be organized by the African Union Advisory Board against Corruption.
July Activities
i. Joining the AUABC virtually to commemorate the African Anti-Corruption Day by Social Media on the 11th of July and by virtual presentations on the 13th of July
ii. Hosting activities within Member States to commemorate the African Anti-Corruption Day.
iii. Allowing and supporting the participation of AUABC country Rapporteurs to attend the Commemoration of the African Anti-Corruption Day in one of their respective countries.
iv. Organizing Seminars, Workshops, Religious platforms, Fora and other Stakeholder activities to discuss the theme and actions needed to promote Integrity and to scale up anti-corruption actions in your family, group, sector, institution or nation in July.
v. Specific focus on integrating and promoting issues of Integrity and Anti-Corruption during sermons, exhortations and addresses around the 11th of July.
vi. Featuring keynote addresses from prominent anti-corruption advocates
vii. Recognizing and awarding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to promoting integrity and scaling up of anti-corruption actions and the fight against corruption in general.
viii. Organizing anti-corruption competitions for Youth eg: Music, Drama, Art, Stories, Poems, etc to compose songs etc. that scale up and promote Integrity and anti-corruption actions across the continent.
Methodology
The African Anti-Corruption Day 2026 commemorations will be held virtually on 13th July 2026, with coordinated national and community-level events across Member States. All official resources, toolkits, and recordings will be made available on the website and social media accounts of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC).
The flagship event shall be a continental webinar hosted by the AUABC, featuring:
- A keynote address on scaling up integrity actions across Africa.
- Panel discussions with representatives from education ministries, cultural institutions, faith-based councils, family advocacy groups, and technology innovators.
Member States and civil society organizations are encouraged to organize local dialogues, school integrity assemblies, and media campaigns aligned with the theme.
Key Messages
a. Integrity is Africa’s future – scale it up now.
b. The AUCPCC is not just a legal instrument; it is a call to build ethical societies.
c. Scaling up integrity means every African, from the family to the highest office, must act to promote integrity.
d. Technology without ethics is not enough – we need digitally empowered integrity.
e. Our cultures and faiths already teach honesty; let us live those teachings publicly.
f. Every family can raise a generation of integrity champions.
g. Scaling up anti-corruption actions is a collective responsibility and a shared victory.
Key Resource Materials
Online Link
Webinar ID: 980 3639 8329
Passcode: AUABC2026
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NKt4OHzDRFmdA31Hx3OyrA
Expected Outcomes
a) A roadmap for the AUABC and Member States to scale up integrity promotion across Africa
b) Strengthened multi-stakeholder collaboration among governments, faith groups, traditional leaders, tech innovators, educators, and family networks.
c) Increased citizen awareness and actionable commitments from Member States to adopt integrity-scaling measures
d) A continental position and recommendations for integrating education, culture, religion, family, and technology into national anti-corruption strategies.
Outcome Statements (Speeches)
The speeches and statements will be posted here
Further inquiries should be directed to:
Submit your request to auabcregistry@africanunion.org
