Thesis
Blockchain framework for enhancing employment integrity process to curb ghost worker fraud
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2026
- Thesis identifier
- T17636
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 202077359
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Ghost worker fraud, where fictitious employees are inserted into payroll systems to divert public funds remains a pervasive and costly challenge in Nigeria’s public sector. Although the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) was introduced to improve accountability and transparency, recent literature and empirical evidence continue to show that the system has not effectively mitigated fraudulent employment practices. This research addresses these shortcomings by developing the Decentralized Employment Integrity and Fraud Prevention (DEIFP) framework, a blockchain-based model designed to strengthen integrity, verification, and auditability across the public sector employment lifecycle. The study employs a mixed-methods strategy, combining two independent survey studies conducted in 2021 and 2024 with qualitative case analysis of high-profile employment fraud incidents. The empirical findings reveal that government employees consistently perceive IPPIS as susceptible to insider manipulation, and weak verification controls. Evaluations from blockchain experts further highlight the need for decentralised trust infrastructures that can provide tamper-resistant validation and transparent recordkeeping in multi-agency employment contexts. Drawing on the principles underlying consortium blockchains and the security offered by Ethereum Besu, the proposed DEIFP framework is conceptually designed to enable decentralised validation of employment records. Rather than replacing existing systems, it re-architects the trust model by distributing validation responsibilities across authorised government institutions, thereby reducing reliance on a single point of failure and limiting opportunities for the insertion of ghost workers. This thesis contributes a conceptual design of the DEIFP framework, introducing a novel blockchain-based model for decentralised employment validation in the public sector. It also integrates insights from information systems, fraud theory, and governance to establish an interdisciplinary foundation for technology-enabled fraud prevention. Lastly, the study recommends piloting the framework in real operational environments and emphasises the need for strong policy and regulatory alignment to support trust, compliance, and future adoption in Nigeria’s public sector.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Terzis, Sotirios, 1973-
- Thomas, Daniel
- Resource Type
- DOI
- Funder
Relations
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PDF of thesis T17636 | 2026-03-03 | Public | Download |