February 11, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
Nigeria has been ranked among the 40 most corrupt countries in the world in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), a global transparency and accountability report released recently by anti-corruption organisations and highlighted by Sahara Reporters. The listing underscores ongoing concerns about governance, public sector transparency, and institutional integrity in Africa’s most populous nation.
According to the CPI — compiled annually by Transparency International in partnership with independent partners countries are ranked based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, drawing on expert assessments and surveys of business executives. Nations scoring lower on the index are seen as having more entrenched corruption challenges.
In the 2025 edition of the index, Nigeria was placed in the bottom quartile of countries globally, reflecting persistent concerns about bribery, embezzlement, weak accountability institutions, and the misuse of public office for private gain. Although the report highlighted slight improvements in some governance indicators in recent years, Nigeria’s overall score remained below the global average, according to analysts cited in the index breakdown.
Civil society advocates and transparency campaigners reacted to the ranking with criticism, saying that inclusion on the list should serve as a wake-up call for systemic reforms across Nigeria’s public institutions. They emphasised that corruption undermines economic growth, inhibits investment, and erodes public trust in the rule of law, particularly when high-profile graft cases go unresolved.
In response to the report, some government officials acknowledged the need to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms and reaffirmed commitments to ongoing reforms. Observers noted that while Nigeria has enacted new accountability measures — such as digital procurement platforms and financial oversight reforms — enforcement gaps and institutional bottlenecks continue to hinder progress.
International anti-corruption experts said that Nigeria’s place on the index mirrors broader governance challenges faced by many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, where weak checks and balances, patronage networks, and limited judicial capacity can exacerbate corrupt practices. They called for strengthened civil liberties protections, enhanced transparency in public budgeting, and more robust support for independent anti-corruption bodies.
The CPI’s release has reignited debate both domestically and among the diaspora on how best to confront corruption, with some commentators urging stronger legislative oversight, protections for whistleblowers, and decisive action against perpetrators — regardless of political affiliation.
As Nigeria prepares for future elections and seeks to deepen democratic consolidation, the corruption index ranking is likely to feature prominently in discussions about governance, accountability and public confidence in state institutions.