Nigeria Falls To 142nd In Corruption Index, Ranks Behind 33 African Nations

Nigeria has been placed 142nd out of 182 countries in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

The country scored 26 out of 100 points in Transparency International’s latest report on public sector corruption.

Although Nigeria kept the same score it recorded the previous year, it slipped two places on the table, moving from 140th to 142nd.

The drop highlights continued concerns about corruption and governance in Africa’s most populous nation.

Nigeria’s 26-point score is far below the global average of 43.

The report, released on Tuesday, shows that the worldwide average fell slightly to 42, with more than two-thirds of the countries assessed scoring under 50 on the 0 to 100 scale, where 0 represents high corruption and 100 indicates a very clean public sector.

In Africa, Nigeria trails 33 countries. Seychelles leads the continent with 68 points, followed by Cabo Verde at 62. Botswana and Rwanda both scored 58.

Other African nations ranked ahead of Nigeria include Mauritius, Namibia, Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, and Egypt.

Nigeria shares the 142nd position with Cameroon, Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Guatemala, and Papua New Guinea.

Over the years, Nigeria’s performance on the CPI has remained low, with only slight changes.

In 2019, it ranked 146th with 26 points. It dropped further to 154th in 2021 after scoring 24 points. The country improved to 145th with 25 points in 2023 and then climbed to 140th with 26 points in 2024 before slipping again this year.

Between 1996 and 2023, Nigeria’s average score stood at 21.48. Its highest score during that period was 28 in 2016, while its lowest was 6.9 in 1996.

The country’s rating is also below the sub-Saharan African average of 33, pointing to long-standing issues such as weak institutions, inconsistent enforcement of laws, and limited accountability.

Despite repeated promises by President Bola Tinubu to address corruption, progress has been slow.

In 2022, Nigeria scored 24 points and ranked 150th. In 2021, it recorded the same score but placed 154th, marking its poorest showing during former President Muhammad Buhari’s time in office.

The strongest result in the past decade came in 2016, when Nigeria scored 28 points and ranked 136th.

Paul Banoba, Transparency International’s regional adviser for Africa, said corruption in the public sector tends to affect vulnerable people the most.

He urged African governments to move beyond promises and take clear action by strengthening oversight bodies, improving transparency, protecting civic freedoms, and supporting citizens.

“African governments need to urgently translate anti-corruption commitments into decisive action by further strengthening accountability institutions and increasing transparency, protecting civic space and supporting the public,” Banoba said.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2024, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) also stirred debate when it listed President Tinubu among the finalists for its ‘Corrupt Person of the Year’ recognition.