The 2024 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released by Transparency International on Tuesday February 11, highlights Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. With a score of 26 out of 100 points, Nigeria ranks 140th out of 180 nations. This score places Nigeria alongside other countries such as Cameroon, Uganda, Mexico, Madagascar, and Iraq, which also share the same low ranking.
In contrast, Ghana, which scored 42 points and ranked 80th, performs better than Nigeria in terms of perceived corruption levels. The report emphasised that no African countries feature in the top 10 least corrupt nations, which are dominated by European countries. Denmark leads the global rankings with a score of 90, followed by Finland with 88 points and Singapore with 84 points. The CPI continues to show a worrying global trend, with corruption remaining a persistent issue across the world.
South Sudan, Somalia, and Venezuela are identified as the most corrupt countries in the 2024 report, while Seychelles and Cabo Verde are the top-performing African nations, with scores of 72 and 62 respectively. Transparency International’s chair, Francois Valeria, noted that although 32 countries have made significant strides in reducing corruption since 2012, corruption still poses a major threat to global progress, particularly in areas such as climate action and human rights. Despite some positive changes, over two-thirds of countries remain below a score of 50, indicating widespread corruption.