February 11, 2025
Nigeria has recorded an improved ranking in the Corruption Perception Index, CPI, among the 180 countries assessed, the country moved from 145th to 140th according to report released on Tuesday.
The CPI, ranks 180 countries based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, on a scale of 100 to 0, a score of 100 indicates a corruption-free country, while 0 signifies a highly corrupt system.
In the past, Nigeria’s performance on the index showed an average score of 21.48 points since 1996, with the highest score of 28 recorded in 2016
Presenting the index on Tuesday in Abuja, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, CISLAC, said Nigeria scored 26 out of 100, a marginal increase from 25 in 2023.
According to CISLAC executive director, Auwal Rafsanjani, “It is not really what we desired, but it is good we didn’t backslide”..
In 2019, Nigeria was ranked 146th with a score of 26. In 2021, Nigeria dropped to 154th with 24 points.
Nigeria Improved slightly to 145th with 25 points in 2023 and climbed to 140th, gaining one additional point, 26 points in 2024.
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Rafsanjani noted that while this indicates a marginal positive shift, it is far from the substantial progress needed to dismantle systemic corruption.
While the index does not show specific incidences of corruption in the country, it indicates the perception of corruption in Nigeria.
Transparency International, in the report, noted that this year’s ranking is not an assessment of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies which are making commendable efforts in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
According to the report, while Nigeria made slight progress in 2024, it continues to lag behind several African nations in the fight against corruption.
Seychelles remains the highest-ranked African country, scoring 72, followed by Cabo Verde, 62, Namibia, 59, Mauritius, 56, Rwanda, 57, and Botswana, 57.
CISLAC said several factors contributing to Nigeria’s slight improvement, including an increase in high-profile corruption prosecutions, progress in asset recovery efforts, and the role of civil society and media in exposing corruption.
