TheCable

Nigeria has dropped two places on the 2019 corruption perception index published by Transparency International.

According to the report which was released on Thursday, Nigeria is now ranked 146 out of the 180 countries considered.

The country scored 26 out of 100 points, a drop from the 27 points that it has maintained since 2017.

In the 2018 index, Nigeria rose by four places on the index from 148 to 144.

The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption in the opinion of experts and business people, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

“The Corruption Perceptions Index 2019 reveals a staggering number of countries are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption. Our analysis also suggests that reducing big money in politics and promoting inclusive political decision-making are essential to curb corruption,” the report read.

“From fraud that occurs at the highest levels of government to petty bribery that blocks access to basic public services like healthcare and education, citizens are fed up with corrupt leaders and institutions.

“This frustration fuels a growing lack of trust in government and further erodes public confidence in political leaders, elected officials and democracy.”

“Governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems,” Delia Ferreira Rubio, Transparency International’s chair, said.

The sub-Saharan Africa region was classified as the lowest-performing region while western Europe was the highest-scoring region.

NIGERIA PERCEIVED TO BE THE SECOND MOST CORRUPT ECOWAS COUNTRY

Of the 15 countries that form the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigeria was the second perceived most corrupt country in the region.

Here is a list of the countries below:

• Benin: 80
• Burkina Faso: 85
• Cape Verde: 41
• The Gambia: 96
• Ghana: 80
• Guinea: 130
• Guinea-Bissau:168
• Ivory Coast: 106
• Liberia: 137
• Mali: 130
• Niger: 120
• Nigeria: 146
• Senegal: 66
• Sierra Leone: 119
• Togo: 130

President Muhammadu Buhari was elected into office in 2015 on the strength of his anti-corruption campaign.