Nigeria’s long-running struggle with corruption has once again come under global scrutiny, as the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) revealed persistent stagnation and deep-rooted governance failures that continue to undermine public trust, democratic accountability and economic progress.
The latest CPI, released by Transparency International and localised in Nigeria by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC/TI-Nigeria), shows that Nigeria scored 26 out of 100, unchanged from its 2024 performance. More troubling, however, is the country’s decline on the global ladder, slipping from 140th position in 2024 to 142nd out of 180 countries surveyed in 2025.
The findings were unveiled at a press conference addressed by CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), who warned that Nigeria’s stagnant score and worsening ranking reflect entrenched systemic weaknesses rather than isolated lapses.
While the CPI does not track individual corruption cases, it remains the world’s most widely used indicator of public sector corruption, relying on assessments by country experts and business leaders.
CISLAC stressed that the index is built on data from independent and reputable institutions, making it a critical tool for governments, investors, development partners and civil society in shaping policy and investment decisions.
Anti-Graft Agencies Not the Core Problem
CISLAC cautioned against interpreting Nigeria’s CPI result as a direct indictment of the country’s anti-corruption agencies. Institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), it noted, have continued to demonstrate commitment and effort.
However, the organisation argued that systemic governance failures, weak institutions and political interference have continued to blunt the impact of enforcement actions, preventing meaningful improvements in perception and outcomes.
Asset Recovery Gains Helped Prevent Further Decline
Chief among them was progress in asset recovery and repatriation. Between October 2023 and September 2025, the EFCC reported recoveries of over ₦566 billion and approximately $411 million, alongside the recovery of 1,502 properties linked to corruption cases. The ICPC also recorded recoveries of ₦37.44 billion and $2.353 million in 2025 through seizures and forfeitures.
On the international front, Nigeria received a boost in January 2026, when the UK Crown Dependency of Jersey agreed to repatriate more than $9.5 million in corruption-linked assets to Nigeria. The funds are earmarked for infrastructure projects, including the Abuja–Kano Road.
While acknowledging these gains, CISLAC stressed the urgent need for transparent management and public accountability in the use of recovered assets to ensure they deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
Nigeria Exits FATF Grey List
Another notable positive was Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025, after two years of enhanced monitoring. The delisting followed Nigeria’s successful implementation of a 19-point action plan aimed at strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks.
CISLAC described the development as a significant step toward improving Nigeria’s credibility within the global financial system.
Judiciary, Legislature Deepen Corruption Concerns
Despite these improvements, the CPI findings exposed deep institutional weaknesses that continue to drag Nigeria’s score downward.
Judicial corruption emerged as a major concern, with persistent allegations of bias, nepotism and undue influence eroding public confidence. Even the Chief Justice of Nigeria has publicly acknowledged such concerns, while the Nigerian Bar Association has repeatedly warned that corruption within the judiciary poses a grave threat to democracy and justice.
The National Assembly also came under intense scrutiny. An investigative report by Premium Times in January 2025 alleged that lawmakers demanded ₦8 million from federal universities and other tertiary institutions to approve their budget allocations. In August 2025, a serving lawmaker, Hon. Ibrahim Usman Auyo, further alleged that legislators were required to pay between ₦1 million and ₦3 million to sponsor motions, bills and petitions.
CISLAC described the allegations as “shameful, corrosive and deeply damaging” to Nigeria’s domestic and international reputation.
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The oil and gas sector remains another major corruption flashpoint. The 2022 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published in September 2025, revealed that the NNPC Limited failed to account for ₦22.3 billion, $49.7 million, £14.3 million and €5.2 million in oil-related funds, citing weak controls, questionable transactions and irregular contract payments.
In the power sector, despite rising tariffs and massive public investment, electricity generation remains stagnant. The Auditor-General’s 2025 report alleged the misappropriation of ₦128 billion by the Ministry of Power and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, highlighting corruption-driven inefficiencies.
Democratic Backsliding and Shrinking Civic Space
The CPI analysis also flagged worsening political corruption and democratic decline. As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, CISLAC raised concerns over mass defections driven by patronage rather than ideology, weakening opposition politics.
The National Assembly’s rejection of a proposal to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory was described as a serious setback to electoral credibility and democratic reform.
Equally troubling is the shrinking civic space. CISLAC noted increased harassment of journalists, activists and whistleblowers, often through repressive laws such as the Cybercrime Act. According to Media Rights Agenda, at least 86 attacks on journalists and media organisations were recorded in 2025 alone.
Corruption within the security sector continues to undermine responses to insurgency and banditry, with CISLAC warning that rising defence spending without accountability will not deliver security.
The organisation also raised alarm over procurement fraud and budgetary corruption, citing constitutional breaches in the handling of the 2024 and 2025 Appropriation Acts. BudgIT’s revelation that ₦6.93 trillion worth of questionable projects had been inserted into the national budget further eroded public trust.
Call for Urgent Reforms
CISLAC/TI-Nigeria called for urgent reforms, including safeguarding the independence of anti-corruption agencies, strengthening judicial integrity, enforcing transparent oil revenue management, protecting civic freedoms, passing the Whistleblower Protection Bill, mandating electronic transmission of election results and ensuring strict constitutional compliance in budgeting.
The CPI for Nigeria aggregates data from ten independent institutions, including the World Bank, African Development Bank, World Justice Project, Economist Intelligence Unit and others. Representatives of SERAP, Premium Times and Accountability Lab were present at the unveiling.
Taken together, Nigeria’s 2025 CPI performance sends a stark warning: isolated gains cannot mask systemic corruption, democratic erosion and institutional opacity. Without bold, sustained and transparent reforms, accountability and good governance will remain out of reach for millions of Nigerians.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
