The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2016 is out and there is much to be concerned about. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries/territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. Nigeria ranked 136 out of 176 (same rank as in 2015). Furthermore, Nigeria scored 28 in the index, a paltry one-point increase from the score of 27 it recorded in 2015. Very glaring in the CPI 2016, is not so much how many higher-income countries did better than Nigeria but how many countries in Africa and in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) did better than Nigeria. The message from the CPI 2016 is that Nigeria and indeed most countries in Africa have a long way to go as far as tackling corruption is concerned. To be sure, when it comes to corruption, Nigeria is in good company. As Transparency International notes, Corruption hurts all countries, in every region of the world and even the higher-ranked countries are not immune to closed-door deals, conflicts of interest, illicit finance, and patchy law enforcement that can distort public policy and exacerbate corruption at home and abroad. Nevertheless, studies show that poor people in poor countries overwhelmingly bear the brunt of corruption.How did Nigeria Fare'How did Nigeria fare' Badly!First, many countries in Africa and in SSA performed better than Nigeria. A countrys rank indicates its position relative to the other countries/territories included in the index. At least twenty-seven countries in Africa (24 in SSA) performed better than Nigeria. Countries in SSA that performed better than Nigeria include: Botswana (#35), Cape Verde (#38), Mauritius (# 50), Rwanda (#50), Namibia (#52), Senegal (#64), South Africa (#64), Ghana (# 70), Burkina Faso (# 72), Gabon (# 101), Tanzania (#116), Malawi (# 120), and Sierra Leone (#123).Second, Nigeria has not recorded any meaningful improvement in the past five years despite much talk in the country about fighting corruption. In the last five years Nigeria has ranked between 136 and 143 in the CPI as follows: 2015 (#136); 2014 (#136); 2013 (# 144); 2012 (#139); and 2011 (# 143).Third, quite apart from its ranking, Nigeria score on the index is very low on the CPI and has remained low the past five years. A country/territorys score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt)100 (very clean). Nigeria gained one point in 2016s CPI. Nigerias score in the last five years are: 2016 (28), 2015 (26), 2014 (27), 2013 (25%), and 2012 (27%)Fourth, Key emerging economies such as Malaysia, Brazil and China performed better than Nigeria. Malaysia ranked #55, and Brazil, china, and India all ranked #70.What about Africa'The good news is that some countries in Africa, and indeed SSA, performed relatively well. At least four countries in SSA are among the top 50 on the CPI 2016 rankings: Botswana (#35), Cape Verde (#38), Mauritius (#50) and Rwanda (#50). Altogether, 15 countries in Africa are in the top 100 of the ranking. In addition to the four countries already mentioned, countries in Africa that are at the top 100 of the ranking include: Namibia (#52), Sao Tome and Principe (#66), Senegal (#64), South Africa (#64), Ghana (#70), Burkina Faso (#72), Tunisia (#75), Lesotho (#83), Zambia (#87), Liberia (#90), and Benin (#95).The bad news is that as in previous years, the majority of African countries sit in the bottom half of CPI 2016. Five countries in Africa (three in SSA) sit at the bottom ten of the table: Somalia (#176), South Sudan (#175), Sudan (#170), Libya (#170), and Guinea Bissau (#168). Right at the very bottom of the list sits two countries in SSA South Sudan and Somalia.The bad news also is that in terms of scores, countries in Africa do very badly. As already noted, country/territorys score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt)100 (very clean). Most countries in Africa score below 50, indicating a serious corruption problem. Forty-five countries in Africa (thirty eight in SSA) score below 50.Finally, the bad news also is that at least seven countries declined significantly and many of the large African countries (e.g. South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria) failed to improve their scores on the index.Why is Corruption so bad'Corruption erodes political, economic, social and cultural stability of African States and has a devastating effect on the economic and social development of the African peoples. Corruption, goes against core principles such as transparency, accountability, human rights, human dignity, integrity, justice, and democracy. Corruption breeds and exacerbates inequality in nay society. Corruption breeds impunity and economic instability. The damages of corruption are readily evident in Nigeria: poor educational system, poor health system, weak infrastructure, environmental destruction, serious food insecurity, rising levels of human trafficking,Moving ForwardAfrica cannot relent in the fight against corruption. Africas corruption challenge are well known and include: patchy and selective law enforcement, unaccountable governments, lack of oversight, shrinking space for civil society, institutional erosion, and foreign countries that continue to serve as safe haven for corrupt officials. While there are no easy solutions to corruption, particularly systemic grand corruption, some measures can help move countries in Africa in the right direction. These include: higher degrees of press freedom, inclusive administration, transparency about public expenditure, access to information about public expenditure, clear and strong standards of integrity for public officials, and an independent judicial systems. The good news is that Nigeria and indeed most countries in Africa have accepted most international instruments that directly or indirectly touch on corruption including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. The bad news is that most countries in the region have not taken necessary steps to domestic these international instruments or to enforce them.ConclusionTransparency Internationals CPI has its flaws and its critics. Moreover, as Transparency International noted in 2015, Not one single country, anywhere in the world, is corruption-free. Yet, in the faces of ordinary men, women and children in Africa, the ravages of corruption are most evident and cannot be ignored. Sadly, many African leaders came into office on an anti-corruption ticket and most are not living up to their pledges to deliver corruption-free services to their citizens. The issue of corruption must be put squarely on the regional and national policy agenda. The perception of quasi-impunity of political elites which is very prevalent across Africa must be addressed. Many Africans will be surprised to know that in 2003, the African Union adopted the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (The Convention) and that there is in existence the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption. It is clearly time to step up the task of preventing, detecting, punishing and eradicating corruption in Africa.
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