Bribery in Nigeria Declines but Remains Prevalent- NBS
Patience Ikpeme
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released its 2023 report titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” revealing significant yet nuanced changes in the country’s bribery landscape.
According to the report, an estimated 87 million bribes were paid in 2023, a decrease from the 117 million bribes recorded in 2019. This equates to an average of 0.8 bribes per adult, highlighting a reduction in bribery instances over the four-year period.
The report, released on Thursday, shows that around 56% of Nigerians had at least one contact with a public official in the 12 months preceding the survey, down from 63% in 2019. This decline was observed across most types of public officials and geographical zones.
Notably, contact with public officials remains higher in urban areas (61%) compared to rural areas (52%). In 2023, the highest contact rates were with healthcare professionals (30%) and public utilities officers (24%), with police officers at 20%.
Dr. Yemi Kale, the Statistician-General of the Federation, highlighted the significance of these findings: “The modest decrease in both the number and frequency of bribes paid suggests a shift in public behavior and potential improvements in institutional integrity.”
In 2023, the average bribe payer in Nigeria paid 5.1 bribes in the 12 months before the survey, a slight decrease from the 5.4 bribes per payer in 2019. The report indicates a higher frequency of bribery in rural areas, where bribe payers averaged 5.8 bribes compared to 4.5 in urban areas.
The prevalence of bribery, defined as the percentage of citizens who paid a bribe after contacting a public official, stood at 27% in 2023. This marks a minor but statistically significant decrease from 29% in 2019. When including instances where bribes were requested but not paid, over one-third (34%) of interactions between citizens and public officials involved bribery.
One of the report’s more positive findings is the increase in the bribery refusal rate. In 2023, 70% of Nigerians who were asked to pay a bribe refused at least once, with the highest refusal rate observed in the North-West at 76%. This marks an improvement from previous years and indicates a growing public resistance to corruption.
Bribery’s acceptability has also declined. The percentage of citizens who view bribery as an acceptable means to expedite administrative procedures decreased 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%).
The main reasons for refusing bribes included having alternative means to achieve their goals (21%), normative concerns (42%), and cost of living pressures (23%).
The report also noted an increase in the reporting of bribery incidents. In 2023, 8.6% of those who paid a bribe reported their experience to an official institution, a significant rise from 3.6% in 2019. This increase was predominantly driven by the Northern zones, where reporting rates surged from 4.7% in 2019 to 13.4% in 2023. Conversely, reporting rates in the Southern zones decreased from 2.5% to 1.7% over the same period.
The largest increases in bribery reporting were seen among the police, anti-corruption agencies, and the media. Additionally, 68% of those reporting bribery cases utilized both official channels and non-traditional mechanisms, such as NGOs or the media.
The NBS report underscores a complex yet encouraging trend in Nigeria’s fight against corruption. While the overall number of bribes and the frequency of bribe payments have declined, bribery remains a significant issue. The increased refusal rates and higher reporting indicate a shift in public attitude towards corruption, suggesting that Nigerians are becoming more empowered to stand against corrupt practices without fear of repercussions.
The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, anti-corruption agencies, and civil society organizations. Continued efforts to strengthen institutional integrity, promote transparency, and empower citizens will be crucial in sustaining and building on these positive trends.
As Nigeria continues to address the multifaceted challenges of corruption, the data from the NBS report serves as both a benchmark and a roadmap for future progress.
