Nigeria has dropped four positions on the list in the most recent Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking, which was announced on Tuesday by Transparency International (TI).
The research states that although the nation kept its score from the previous year, 24 out of 100, it dropped from 150th to 154th place out of 180 nations evaluated for the 2022 ranking.
As previously noted by Prime 9ja Online, Nigeria's CPI ranking had declined year after year in the past. It received a score of 26 in 2019, 25 in 2020, and 24 in the final 2021 report.
Delia Rubio, the chairperson of Transparency International, revealed that the degree of corruption in the world had remained constant for 11 years.
Rubio said, “Corruption has made our world a more dangerous place. As governments have collectively failed to make progress against it, they fuel the current rise in violence and conflict – and endanger people everywhere.
“The only way out is for states to do the hard work, rooting out corruption at all levels to ensure governments work for all people, not just an elite few.”
Also at a press conference on Tuesday, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre in conjunction with Transparency International, noted that the pardon granted to two jailed former governors – Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State in 2022 by the Buhari-led administration, indicated a major setback in the country’s anti-corruption efforts.
CISLAC also noted that prevalent insecurity, lack of press freedom, inability to prosecute and convict politicians who failed to fully declare their assets, especially those in offshore accounts, increase in oil theft, the opaqueness of the subsidy regime, lack of transparency and accountability in the security sector, lack of transparency in constituency projects, and also inadequacy of the judicial and the legislative arms of government, were all contributing factors.
The two leading anti-corruption agencies in the country, The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are yet to react to the latest ranking when filing this report.