Corruption Continues to Plague Sub-Saharan Africa
The annual Corruption Perceptions Index evaluates 182 nations and territories worldwide on public sector corruption using a zero-to-100 scale, where zero signifies extreme corruption and 100 indicates exceptional integrity.
Seychelles topped regional rankings with 68 points, yet the island nation faces mounting scrutiny over weakening anti-graft enforcement. Authorities have stalled on pursuing a corruption probe involving suspected money laundering totaling $50 million, the report revealed.
Cabo Verde secured second place at 62 points, with Botswana and Rwanda tied at 58, according to index data.
The assessment documented a troubling trajectory in Mozambique, which plummeted 10 points over ten years to reach just 21. Government statistics highlighted in the analysis revealed 334 fresh corruption cases emerged during 2025's opening quarter alone, representing approximately $4.1 million in financial losses—evidence of the problem's magnitude.
Averaging merely 32 points and counting just four nations above the 50-point threshold among its 49 countries, Sub-Saharan Africa occupies the lowest position globally among all assessed regions.
Since 2012, ten regional governments have experienced substantial deterioration while only seven demonstrated progress, indicating current anti-graft strategies remain inadequate, researchers cautioned.
Deficiencies in oversight mechanisms and institutional architecture continue fueling widespread misappropriation of taxpayer resources throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, investigators determined.
Bottom performers include Sudan at 14 points, Eritrea at 13, and both Somalia and South Sudan registering nine points each.
Paul Banoba, Transparency International's Africa regional advisor, condemned how public sector malfeasance disproportionately harms marginalized communities, emphasizing "more needs to be done" to address the epidemic.
"African governments need to urgently translate anti-corruption commitments into decisive action by further strengthening accountability institutions and increasing transparency, protecting civic space and supporting public participation, along with necessary checks and balances on power," he said in a statement.
The watchdog organization determined that financial mismanagement signals deficient political integrity among governing officials, restricting citizens' access to vital services and degrading quality of life.
Authorities region-wide must elevate tangible anti-corruption measures and bolster democratic governance to enhance living standards, the organization pressed.
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