Nigeria has gained five positions in the 2024 Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index, achieving the 140th rank out of 180 nations with a score of 26 out of 100.
This represents a marginal improvement compared to last year when the nation held the 145th position with a score of 25.
The index, released on Tuesday, assesses the perceived levels of corruption in the public sector on a scale ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 signifies rampant corruption, and 100 indicates a very clean status.
The organisation characterizes corruption as involving bribery, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of public office for personal benefit, and the failure of governments to control corruption.
It also points out issues like nepotism in civil service appointments, lack of financial transparency among public officials, and inadequate protection for whistleblowers as factors contributing to the problem.
While there has been a recent upward trend, Nigeria’s advancements have been gradual. In 2022, the country achieved a score of 24 out of 100 and was ranked 150th, whereas in 2021, it held the same score but was positioned 154th — marking its lowest performance during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The country’s best performance in the last ten years was in 2015 and 2016, ranking 136th.
President Bola Tinubu has consistently committed to addressing Nigeria’s corruption and urged other African leaders to participate in this struggle.
