Nigeria has risen five places on the 2024 Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking 140th out of 180 countries with a score of 26 out of 100. This represents a slight improvement from the previous year’s position of 145th, where the country scored 25.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures the perceived level of corruption in the public sector, assigning scores on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents a high level of corruption and 100 reflects a corruption-free system. The latest ranking suggests that while Nigeria has made some progress, it still grapples with significant corruption challenges.
TI defines corruption as involving actions like bribery, misappropriation of public funds, and the abuse of public office for personal gain. It also highlights factors such as nepotism in government appointments, a lack of financial transparency among public officials, and insufficient safeguards for whistleblowers as contributing to corruption.
Despite this improvement, Nigeria’s journey in combating corruption has been slow. In 2022, the country scored 24 out of 100 and ranked 150th, while in 2021, Nigeria’s score remained at 24, with a 154th place ranking marking its worst performance under the leadership of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The nation’s best performance in the last decade occurred in 2015 and 2016, when it ranked 136th.
President Bola Tinubu has consistently vowed to address corruption during his tenure, calling on African leaders to unite in tackling the issue. However, his administration’s efforts to combat corruption have been met with mixed reactions.
Last year, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) controversially named Tinubu as a finalist for its “Corrupt Person of the Year” award, highlighting the continued challenges in curbing corruption at the highest levels of government.
