Nigeria has been ranked 142nd out of 182 countries in the 2025 Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International, reflecting continued challenges in tackling corruption within the public sector.
The country retained a score of 26 out of 100, the same score recorded in 2024, indicating that Nigeria neither made measurable progress nor suffered further decline over the past year. The index measures perceived levels of public sector corruption, with higher scores indicating cleaner governance systems.
Brandspur Politics reports that the latest ranking once again places Nigeria among countries struggling to improve transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity. Since records began in 1996, Nigeria has posted an average score of 21.48, peaking at 28 in 2016 and hitting its lowest point of 6.9 in 1996.
Transparency International’s Chief Executive Officer, Maíra Martini, noted that while some countries have made real gains against corruption since 2012, many others have stagnated or regressed. She warned that persistent corruption continues to undermine public services, weaken infrastructure development, and limit opportunities for younger generations.
Across Africa, Seychelles emerged as the continent’s top performer, ranking 24th globally. Cape Verde followed closely at 35th, while Botswana and Rwanda shared 41st place. Namibia and Senegal ranked joint 65th, Benin placed 70th, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana tied at 76th, and South Africa ranked 81st.
Nigeria’s unchanged position highlights ongoing structural weaknesses despite the presence of anti-corruption institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission. Although successive governments have launched investigations, audits, and policy reforms, analysts say gaps in enforcement, limited institutional independence, and inconsistent political commitment continue to hinder progress.
The 2025 CPI outcome underscores the difficulty of reversing entrenched corruption in a complex political and economic environment. While Nigeria avoided a further drop in its score, Transparency International’s findings suggest that without deeper reforms, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and sustained political will, public trust in governance will remain under pressure.
