Corruption perception in Africa 2023, by country

Africa's corruption landscape reveals a stark contrast between nations, with the Seychelles emerging as the least corrupt country in 2023, boasting a corruption perceptions index (CPI) score of **. This East African island nation sets a high bar for transparency, followed closely by Cape Verde with ** points. However, the continent's struggle with corruption is evident as Somalia languishes at the bottom with a mere ** points, highlighting the vast disparity in governance across African nations.

Performance and trends in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant challenges in combating corruption, as evidenced by its lowest global average corruption perception index (CPI) score of ** as of 2023. While countries like the Seychelles, Cabo Verde, and Botswana demonstrate a better performance, others like South Sudan and Somalia continue to grapple with pervasive corruption. South Africa, a major economic player in the region, has seen its CPI score drop to a record low of ** points in 2023, indicating a worsening corruption problem that has persisted for over a decade.

Corruption's impact on public perception in South Africa

The prevalence of corruption in South Africa has had a tangible effect on public sentiment. Monthly surveys conducted in the country from 2022 to 2024 reveal high levels of concern about financial and political corruption, with ** percent of respondents expressing worry in December 2024. This concern peaked at ** percent in February 2023, underscoring the issue's prominence in public discourse. The most common form of corruption reported in South Africa in 2023 was maladministration, which accounted for ** percent of complaints, followed by fraud and employment irregularities.