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 71. This East African island nation sets a high bar for transparency, followed closely by Cape Verde with 64 points. However, the continent's struggle with corruption is evident as Somalia languishes at the bottom with a mere 11 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 33 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 41 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 45 percent of respondents expressing worry in December 2024. This concern peaked at 59 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 34 percent of complaints, followed by fraud and employment irregularities.
