Nigeria retains corruption ranking despite two-place drop in global index

 

Nigeria has fallen two places in the global corruption rankings, moving from 140th position in 2024 to 142nd out of 182 countries assessed in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International.

Despite the downward shift in ranking, the country retained its position as the 36th most corrupt nation in the world, scoring 26 points on a scale where 0 represents highly corrupt and 100 very clean.

Nigeria shares the 142nd position with Cameroon, Guatemala, Guinea, Kyrgyzstan and Papua New Guinea, all of which recorded the same score of 26 points.

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The ranking, published on Transparency International’s website on Tuesday, assessed 182 countries and territories worldwide based on their perceived levels of public-sector corruption.

Denmark maintained its position as the least corrupt country globally with a score of 89 points, followed by Finland with 88 points, Singapore with 84 points, and New Zealand with 81 points. The top 10 list was dominated largely by European nations, with no African country making the cut.

Among African countries, Seychelles ranked highest with 68 points, placing 24th globally. Cabo Verde followed with 62 points in 35th position, while Botswana scored 58 points and ranked 41st worldwide.

At the other end of the spectrum, South Sudan, Somalia and Venezuela emerged as the most corrupt countries in the world for the year under review, with South Sudan and Somalia both scoring 9 points and Venezuela scoring 10 points.

Explaining the basis of the ranking, the Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International, Maíra Martini, said the index ranks countries by their perceived levels of public-sector corruption, with results given on a scale of 0 to 100.

“While 31 countries have significantly reduced their corruption levels since 2012, the rest are failing to tackle the problem — they have stayed stagnant or got worse during the same period. The global average has fallen to a new low of 42, while more than two-thirds of countries score below 50. And people are paying the price, as corruption leads to under-funded hospitals, unbuilt flood defences, and blights the hopes and dreams of young people,” Martini said.

She warned that corruption remains a serious threat in every part of the world, with limited signs of progress.

“We’re seeing a concerning picture of long-term decline in leadership to tackle corruption. Even established democracies, like the US, UK and New Zealand, are experiencing a drop in performance. The absence of bold leadership is leading to weaker standards and enforcement, lowering ambition on anti-corruption efforts around the world,” she stated.

Martini noted that many states are increasing restrictions on civic space, making it difficult or dangerous for citizens, non-governmental organisations and journalists to challenge abuses of power, thereby reducing transparency and accountability and allowing corruption to flourish.

She urged leaders to tackle abuses of power and address wider factors driving the decline, such as the erosion of democratic checks and balances and attacks on independent civil society.

“Anti-government protests in many parts of the world show that people are fed up with unaccountable leadership and are demanding reform,” she added.

The global average score of 42 represents the lowest level recorded by the index, reflecting what Transparency International described as a worldwide failure to address systemic corruption. More than two-thirds of the countries assessed scored below 50, indicating widespread challenges in public-sector integrity.

Nigeria’s score of 26 places it significantly below the global average and reflects ongoing concerns about corruption in government institutions, law enforcement, public procurement, and service delivery. The ranking underscores persistent challenges in tackling graft despite successive administrations pledging to fight corruption as a policy priority.

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The 2025 index highlights a broader trend of stagnation or regression in anti-corruption efforts across much of the world. Only 31 countries have made significant progress since 2012, while the majority have either remained unchanged or worsened.

Transparency International noted that restrictions on civic freedoms, weakening of independent oversight institutions, and attacks on the press have contributed to the decline in accountability and transparency in many countries.

Nigeria has long grappled with corruption across various levels of government and public institutions. Efforts to address the issue have included the establishment of anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, as well as legislative reforms and public accountability measures. However, enforcement challenges, institutional weaknesses, and allegations of selective prosecution have limited the impact of these interventions.