Corruption increased in 36 African countries in 2022 – Afrobarometer

Corruption increased drastically in 36 African countries between 2021/2022, according to a survey conducted by Afrobarometer.

In these 36 countries, Afrobarometer in its report disclosed that corruption increased a lot by 46%, and increased somewhat by 12%, but stayed the same at about 20%.

According to the Afrobarometer’s survey, almost six in 10 Africans (58%) say that corruption in their countries increased over the past year.

The situation, Afrobarometer emphasized has worsened significantly in 12 of the 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022.

Afrobarometer in its report further highlighted the various countries where corruption has dramatically increased, citing Senegal leading with 39 percentage points, Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d’Ivoire (+22 points).

“Almost six in 10 Africans (58%) say that corruption in their countries increased over the past year. The situation has worsened significantly in 12 of the 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022, most dramatically in Senegal (where perceptions of increasing corruption have risen by 39 percentage points), Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d’Ivoire (+22 points).

On the other hand, there has been a drastic improvement in Benin, where the proportion who report that corruption increased dropped by -61 percentage points,” Afrobarometer said in its report.

Afrobarometer mentioned that a majority of Africans admit corruption has increased in their countries, but fear to report to authorities.

“A majority of Africans say that corruption has increased in their countries, but an even larger
proportion fear retaliation should they report corrupt acts to the authorities,” Afrobarometer hinted in its report.

The findings were disclosed by Maame Akua Amoah Twum, Afrobarometer communications coordinator for anglophone West and North Africa, during a webinar on corruption organised by the Data for Governance Alliance, in collaboration with the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption.

The webinar was under the theme “Civil society organisations’ Contribution to driving accountability in the Fight against Corruption in Africa”.

The webinar was organised as a precursor to the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), which will be celebrated on 11 July 2023 in Arusha, Tanzania.