Nigeria has again failed to improve in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index carried out by Transparency International and the results of the survey released on January 23, 2020.
If anything, the country regressed from the performance last year. Countries like Liberia, Mali, Guinea, Togo and Gabon performed better.
The Corruption Perception Index 2019 ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people.
The 2019 report focuses and analyzes how corruption impacts political integrity with corruptive more pervasive in countries where big money can flow freely into electoral campaigns and where governments listen only to voices of wealthy or well connected individuals.
Nigeria only managed to score 26 out of a possible 100 points and was ranked 146 from the total of 180 countries that studied in the survey. In 2018 and 2017, the country had a score of 27.
The lowest ranking countries were Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Venezuela. While sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest regional average of 32, countries like Kenya, Uganda, Mauritania, Angola and Mozambique made slight improvements. The E.U had the highest regional average of 66.
The countries with the highest score are New Zealand and Denmark, both with 87 each, followed by Finland with 86 and then Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland all with individual scores of 85.
The managing director of TI, Patricia Moreira said about the survey, “this year, our research highlights the relationship between politics, money and corruption. Unregulated flows of big money in politics also make public policy vulnerable to undue influence”.
In releasing the report, Transparency International, however said the Corruption Perception Index 2019 “reveals a staggering number of countries are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption. Our analysis also suggests that reducing big money in politics and promoting inclusive political decision making are essential to curb corruption”.
The report also says in sub-Sahara Africa region, “money is used to win elections, consolidate power and further personal interests. Although the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combatting Corruption has provisions to prevent corruption and encourage transparency in campaign financing, implementation is weak”.
