Corruption is on the rise in most African countries, a new Afrobarometer survey has indicated.
According to the survey corruption as increased in 36 African countries between 2021 and 2022 with almost six in 10 Africans (58%) revealing that corruption in their countries increased over the past year.
“The situation has worsened significantly in 12 of the 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022, most dramatically in Senegal (where perceptions of increasing corruption have risen by 39 percentage points), Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d’Ivoire (+22 points),” the Afrobarometer survey findings emphasized.
It also stated that, there has been a drastic improvement in Benin, where the proportion who report that corruption increased dropped by-61 percentage points.
The report also revealed that majority of Africans admit that corruption has increased in their countries, but an even larger proportion fear to report corrupt acts to the authorities.
Afrobarometer communications coordinator for anglophone West and North Africa, Maame Akua Amoah Twum, shared these insights at a webinar on corruption organised by the Data for Governance Alliance, in collaboration with the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption.
The webinar was themed, “Civil society Organisations’ contribution to driving accountability in the fight against corruption in Africa,”
It brought together experts, policy makers, and civil society actors to reflect on the prevalence of corruption on the continent, its impacts, and innovative strategies to effectively combat it.
“The survey findings highlight the urgent need for African governments to prioritise anti- corruption efforts and regain public trust. It is crucial to establish robust mechanisms for citizen engagement, protect whistleblowers, and build accountable institutions that actively work toward eradicating corruption,” she said.
By Nafisa Abdul Razak