Nigeria has slipped to 142nd place in the 2025 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released recently by Transparency International, maintaining a score of 26 out of 100, unchanged from 2024. The ranking underscores persistent efforts in governance, public sector integrity, and anti-corruption reforms.
The CPI, which evaluates 182 countries worldwide on a scale where 0 indicates a highly corrupt public sector and 100 represents a corruption-free system, shows Nigeria’s long-term struggle with corruption. The country has averaged 21.48 points since 1996, recording its highest score of 28 in 2016 and its lowest of 6.9 in 1996.
Maíra Martini, Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International, said, “While 31 countries have significantly reduced their corruption levels since 2012, the rest are failing to tackle the problem. They have stayed stagnant or worsened. People are paying the price, as corruption leads to underfunded hospitals, unbuilt flood defenses, and blights the hopes and dreams of young people.”
Seychelles ranked as the least corrupt African country, placed 24th globally, while Cape Verde rose to 35th. Botswana and Rwanda climbed to 41st, Namibia and Senegal shared 65th, the Republic of Benin placed 70th, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana were 76th, and South Africa ranked 81st.
Despite Nigeria avoiding further decline, meaningful progress in transparency and accountability remains limited. Analysts note that sustained improvements require stronger institutional independence, consistent policy implementation, political will, and active public participation.
Over the years, successive administrations have established anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and introduced reforms. Efforts have included high-profile investigations, audits, and policy initiatives aimed at improving transparency. However, enforcement gaps, inconsistent implementation, and systemic weaknesses have prevented significant shifts in the country’s CPI ranking.
Nigeria’s CPI result highlights the difficulty of curbing corruption within a complex political and economic environment. While the country has maintained its score and avoided further deterioration, the report underscores that without stronger enforcement and comprehensive systemic reforms, public confidence in governance remains fragile.
