Despite Nigeria’s low ranking on the international corruption index, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has called on anti-corruption agencies to remain resolute in their efforts to enhance governance and economic processes in the country.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released last month by Transparency International, ranked Nigeria 140th out of 180 countries in 2024, with a score of 26 out of a possible 100. This marks a slight improvement from 2023 when the country scored 25 points and was ranked 145th.
Speaking in Abuja at the unveiling of the report Facts Behind the Corruption Perception Index, commissioned by the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), Olukoyede emphasized the need for continued commitment to the fight against corruption.
Nigeria’s Corruption Ranking Over the Years
The report reviewed six years (2019-2024) of Transparency International’s CPI assessment on Nigeria. It concluded that the country has recorded no significant overall change in its score over the years:
- 2019: Score – 26, Rank – 146
- 2020: Score – 25, Rank – 149
- 2021: Score – 24, Rank – 154
- 2022: Score – 24, Rank – 150
- 2023: Score – 25, Rank – 145
- 2024: Score – 26, Rank – 140
Despite the apparent stagnation in Nigeria’s fight against corruption, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede urged Nigerians to focus on improving governance and economic systems rather than being discouraged by international rankings.
“We can say that it is a slight improvement in relation to our efforts. But again, I have said it before and I will say it again. For us as Nigerians, we must be more interested in adding value to our economic and social lives than getting discouraged by any international rating. If we don’t appreciate that, it will be a major problem for us,” he stated.
“Whatever we are going to do, the priority should be to improve on our processes, to add value to our lives as Nigerians. Now, if we do the right thing, the international community will come here and copy what we are doing and borrow it from us. There is no gainsaying the fact that in the last one year, the major stakeholders—the anti-corruption department, including the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary—have made some tangible progress in our fight against corruption.”
Olukoyede highlighted key achievements in the past year, including the grant of autonomy to local governments, the recovery of over 700 apartments, and the arrest of 794 suspects.
The Head of TUGAR, Mrs. Jane Onwumere, expressed hope that the Facts Behind the Corruption Perception Index report would help create awareness and prepare the anti-corruption community for stronger engagement with the annual Transparency International reports.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu, noted that while Nigeria’s ranking had improved marginally, significant progress had been made.
Aliyu, who was represented by ICPC Board Secretary Barrister Clifford Oparaodu, said: “We have to judge ourselves. We cannot allow others to judge us. We at the ICPC are very much aware that an anti-corruption crusade is a huge stakeholder responsibility that requires collective commitment, vigilance, and critical self-assessment.
“It is in this spirit of collective faith in anti-corruption that the Commission supports the efforts of TUGAR to undertake the analysis of the TI-CPI 2019-2024 report with logical recommendations for public consumption. Every year, Transparency International and the Global Coalition Against Corruption run surveys according to the perception of their performance on corruption. Most times, by their assessment, Nigerians perform poorly on the Corruption Perception Index. These kinds of reports, each time they are released, tend to send messages of discouragement to the government, particularly to anti-corruption agencies, who put in their best, which is not really good,” he added.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive industries, stating that NEITI remains steadfast in its fight against corruption.
With Nigeria’s corruption ranking showing little improvement, stakeholders continue to emphasize the need for sustained efforts, strategic reforms, and a focus on value addition to governance and economic processes.
