Police, Gov’t Workers, Road Safety Officers, Doctors Ranked Most Corrupt Officials in Nigeria

A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has named officials of the Nigerian police force, civil servants, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), doctors, nurses, and midwives as the most corrupt public officials in Nigeria in 2023.

The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” estimated that a staggering N721 billion (approximately $1.26 billion) was paid in cash bribes to public officials in 2023, equivalent to 0.35% of Nigeria’s entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to the report, the average Nigerian paid N8,284 in bribes during the period, with the nominal average cash bribe size increasing since 2019 (from N5,754).

However, the report also revealed that 70% of Nigerians who were asked to pay bribes in 2023 refused to do so at least once, with the bribery refusal rate highest in the North-West (at 76%). All zones recorded refusal rates above 60%.

The report suggests that bribery is becoming less accepted in Nigeria, with fewer citizens believing that bribery requests are acceptable to speed up administrative procedures (decreasing from 29% in 2019 to 23% in 2023).

Additionally, fewer citizens reported suffering negative consequences after refusing bribe requests in 2023 (38%) compared to 2019 (49%). This indicates that Nigerians feel increasingly empowered to confront corrupt officials without fear of repercussions.

The report also noted that Nigerians viewed corruption as the fourth most pressing problem affecting the country in 2023, after the cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment.