This article examines how corruption influences public managers' communication and networking behaviours, and the challenges such behaviours creates that undermine the effectiveness of public sector organizations. It analyzes how the challenges manifest in communication and networking behaviours of public managers. This qualitative study compares public sector managers in Nigeria and Ghana. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with managers of some public sector organizations in the two countries. Findings reveal that corrupt values in these societies influence the official behaviours of public sector managers while performing communication and networking functions. Due to corruption, networking functions make public sector managers vulnerable to unethical behaviours. Corruption creates high power distance value system in these societies. Public managers like other members of the society crave for high social. As a result, they manifest bossy behaviours and create status barriers in order to draw subordinates attention and respect to their positions. This limits horizontal communication between managers and subordinates.