Despite ongoing campaigns to reduce corruption among public officials, a new report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that 27% of Nigerians paid bribes to public officials in 2023. This marks a slight decline from 29% in 2019.
However, the financial value of these bribes increased significantly, reaching N721 billion in 2023 compared to N675 billion in 2019. This rise is attributed to the higher average bribe amount per individual, which grew from N5,754 in 2019 to N8,284 in 2023.
The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends July 2024,” highlights key trends in corruption. It notes that fewer Nigerians find bribery requests acceptable for speeding up administrative processes, with such views dropping from 29% in 2019 to 23% in 2023.
Corruption ranked as the fourth most pressing issue facing the country, trailing behind the cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment. According to the report, 22.6% of respondents identified the cost of living as the biggest problem, followed by insecurity (19%), unemployment (13%), and corruption (10.9%). Healthcare emerged as the fifth most pressing concern.
The report also shows that Nigerians are increasingly rejecting bribe requests, with fewer people facing negative consequences for refusal (38% in 2023 compared to 49% in 2019). Reasons for refusing to pay bribes varied:
- 42% cited moral or religious values.
- 23% pointed to economic constraints.
- 21% found alternative solutions.
- 10% viewed bribery as illegal and avoided potential legal repercussions.
Public officials most frequently associated with bribes include:
- Police officers, where 9% of those in contact with them paid or were asked to pay bribes.
- Public utility workers, accounting for 6%.
- Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials, at 4%.
- Health professionals, including doctors and nurses, also at 4%.
- Teachers and lecturers, at 3%.
Bribes were solicited through direct requests (52%) or indirect suggestions (23%). In some cases, bribes were requested to facilitate services (9%) or as tokens of appreciation (8%). The vast majority of bribes (95%) were paid in cash, though food, animals, and other valuables were sometimes used.
Regarding locations, most bribes were paid in offices (35%) or on the streets (36%). Lesser occurrences were at private residences (11%) or public places like malls and restaurants (7%).
The report, supported by the MacArthur Foundation and the Kingdom of Denmark, provides critical insights for policymakers to evaluate anti-corruption strategies and trends in bribery across Nigeria.
