In the 2023 organized crime index, West Africa achieved 5.44 index points in terms of criminality. According to the indicator, the closer the index is to 10, the higher the level of criminality. Nigeria records the highest levels of criminality in the region.
Annual criminality levels according to the organized crime index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023
The 2023 score includes new criminality indicators. The criminality average of the original 10 criminal markets and 4 criminal actor types is 5.40 (Africa): 5.93 (East Africa), 5.64 (West Africa), 5.17 (North Africa), 5.23 (Central Africa), 5.01 (Southern Africa).
The source explains that the ENACT Organized Crime Index is an innovative tool aimed at measuring levels of organized crime in countries in Africa and assessing their resilience to organized-criminal activity. It adds that the Index, consisting of two composite metrics, ranks countries both according to their levels of criminality on a score from 1 to 10 (lowest to highest crime levels) and based on resilience to organized crime from 1 to 10 (lowest to highest resilience levels).
It defines organized crime as "illegal activities, conducted by groups or networks acting in concert, by engaging in violence, corruption or related activities in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or material benefit. Such activities may be carried out both within a country and transnationally".
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INTERPOL , & ISS Africa, & Institute for Security Studies, & Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. (November 23, 2023). Annual criminality levels according to the organized crime index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 17, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1550503/annual-criminality-according-to-organized-crime-index-in-west-africa/
INTERPOL , und ISS Africa, und Institute for Security Studies, und Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. "Annual criminality levels according to the organized crime index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023 ." Chart. November 23, 2023. Statista. Accessed May 17, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1550503/annual-criminality-according-to-organized-crime-index-in-west-africa/
INTERPOL , ISS Africa, Institute for Security Studies, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). Annual criminality levels according to the organized crime index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023 . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 17, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1550503/annual-criminality-according-to-organized-crime-index-in-west-africa/
INTERPOL , and ISS Africa, and Institute for Security Studies, and Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. "Annual Criminality Levels According to The Organized Crime Index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023 ." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 Nov 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1550503/annual-criminality-according-to-organized-crime-index-in-west-africa/
INTERPOL & ISS Africa & Institute for Security Studies & Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, Annual criminality levels according to the organized crime index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1550503/annual-criminality-according-to-organized-crime-index-in-west-africa/ (last visited May 17, 2025)
Annual criminality levels according to the organized crime index in West Africa from 2019 to 2023 [Graph], INTERPOL , & ISS Africa, & Institute for Security Studies, & Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, November 23, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1550503/annual-criminality-according-to-organized-crime-index-in-west-africa/