Nigeria has recorded marginal improvement in the global corruption ranking.
In the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released on Tuesday, the country moved from 145th to 140th out of 180 countries assessed, gaining one point in the Transparency International‘s latest ranking.
The CPI, which ranks 180 countries based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, uses a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
A score of 100 indicates a corruption-free country, while 0 signifies a highly corrupt system.
Nigeria’s historical performance on the index shows an average score of 21.48 points since 1996, with the highest score of 28 recorded in 2016.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) which presented the index in Abuja, said Nigeria scored 26 out of 100, a marginal increase from the 25 scored in 2023.
“It is not really what we desire, but it is good we didn’t backslide”, CISLAC executive director, Auwal Rafsanjani said.
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.
Rafsanjani said while this indicates a marginal positive shift, it is far from the substantial progress needed to dismantle systemic corruption.
He said sub-Saharan Africa holds the lowest average score at 33 out of 100.
“Severe pressures – from climate to conflict – often hamper progress in this region. Nonetheless, there is hope, as several countries are showing the way forward with considerable improvements”, CISLAC stated.
While the index does not show specific incidences of corruption in the country, it indicates the perception of corruption in Nigeria.
TI, 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 Cape 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.
It added that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have reportedly intensified their efforts in tackling graft despite challenges.
Rafsanjani noted that Nigeria has also made notable gains in asset recovery, with the $52.88 million linked to former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke being repatriated.
Similarly, he said funds looted by former military ruler Sani Abacha have been retrieved through international cooperation.
Despite these gains, Rafsanjani said the CPI report revealed major weaknesses, including judicial corruption, nepotism, oil theft, and procurement fraud.
According to him, one of the most alarming findings is corruption within the judiciary, with a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report revealing that 20 per cent of Nigerians who interacted with the justice system were asked to pay a bribe.
The CISLAC boss wondered why individuals facing corruption allegations still occupy top public offices, while whistleblowers lack adequate protection.
