Global corruption body Transparency International, TI has described Nigeria as the 36th most corrupt country in the world.
TI in the latest ranking released via TI’s website on Tuesday, highlighted the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, saying more efforts must be made to tackle the menace of corruption.
The development comes on the heels of rising corruption cases in the country, even though the federal government said it’s tackling the menace.
A former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami is currently being tried for corruption, after he allegedly acquired properties worth over N200 billion, which not a few insist is beyond his means. The former minister has denied the allegation.
Also, a former Minister of Petroleum, Dieziani Alison Madueke, earlier in the week, appeared in the United Kingdom court, where she’s been tried for corruption while holding office under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The transparency body, according to the latest ranking, said Nigeria has slipped back to the 2024 position when it was ranked 34 among other countries ranked at the time.
What this means, according to analysts, is that there is no significant improvement despite government position that the problem is being tackled.
According to the latest ranking released by the world corruption body, Nigeria ranked 142nd out of 182 countries in 2025, with Denmark maintaining its position as the least corrupt country globally with 89 points, followed by Finland with 88 points.
Singapore and New Zealand followed closely with 84 and 81 points, respectively to come third and fourth in the list.
Explaining the basis of the ranking, the Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International, Maíra Martini, said the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index ranks 182 countries and territories worldwide by their perceived levels of public-sector corruption.
“The results are given on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
“While 31 countries have significantly reduced their corruption levels since 2012, the rest are failing to tackle the problem — they have stayed stagnant or got worse during the same period.
“The global average has fallen to a new low of 42, while more than two-thirds of countries score below 50. And people are paying the price, as corruption leads to under-funded hospitals, unbuilt flood defences, and blights the hopes and dreams of young people,” Martini said.
She stressed that leadership have not shown readiness to fight corruption, adding that journalists, civil society and others that tried to hold government accountable are being clamped down on, urging leaders to stop abusing their powers so that accountability and transparency in government can thrive.
“The absence of bold leadership is leading to weaker standards and enforcement, lowering ambition on anti-corruption efforts around the world,” she stated.
“At the same time, many states are increasing restrictions on civic space. By making it hard or dangerous for citizens, NGOs and journalists to challenge abuses of power, they are reducing transparency and accountability. This allows corruption to flourish.”
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