“Without comprehensive reforms, Nigeria risks discouraging investors and undermining its economic diversification efforts.”
Nigeria has moved up five spots in the latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released by Trading Economics, ranking 140th out of 180 countries. The country previously placed 145th.
Analysts caution that the slight improvement may reflect worsening corruption in other nations rather than significant local progress. “Without comprehensive reforms, Nigeria risks discouraging investors and undermining its economic diversification efforts,” economists warn.
In Africa, Ivory Coast jumped from 87th to 69th place, and Rwanda advanced to 43rd. Ghana slipped to 80th but still outperformed Nigeria. Globally, Denmark retained the top spot as the least corrupt, followed by Finland and Singapore, while Somalia, South Sudan, and Venezuela remained at the bottom.
Experts blame Nigeria’s poor performance on selective enforcement of laws, political interference, and opaque procurement. Civil society groups urge stronger whistleblower protections, independent courts, and digitalised public services. President Bola Tinubu has pledged tougher anti-corruption measures, but critics say action remains selective.