The global corruption watchdog, Transparency
International, has ranked Nigeria as the 39th
most corrupt nation in the world.
According to the Corruption Perception Index
2014 released on Wednesday, Nigeria scored 27
out of a maximum 100 marks to clinch the
136th position out of the 175 countries surveyed
for the report.
Nigeria appeared to have improved by eight
points against its 2013 rating of 144th of 175
countries last year.
It will be recalled that the Transparency
International Corruption Perception Index ranked
Nigeria 35th most corrupt nation in the world in
2012.
A statement issued by the Transparency
International noted that more than two thirds of
the 175 countries in the 2014 Corruption
Perceptions Index scored below 50, on a scale
from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100
(perceived to be very clean).
Denmark is the least corrupt nation in the world,
ranking first out of the 175 countries surveyed
while North Korea and Somalia are the most
corrupt nations of the world.
The Transparency International said while top
performer, Denmark, had strong rule of law,
support for civil society and clear rules governing
the behaviour of those in public positions, it also
set an example by announcing plans to create a
public register, such as beneficial ownership
information for all companies incorporated in
Denmark.
This measure, according to the corruption
watchdog, will make it harder for the corrupt to
hide behind companies registered in another
person’s name.
Botswana comes top as the least corrupt nation
in Africa, ranking 31st least corrupt globally
while South Africa is ranked 67th.
Transparency International Chairman, José Ugaz,
in a statement on the TI website, said countries
at the bottom needed to adopt radical anti-
corruption measures in favour of their people.
“The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index shows
that economic growth is undermined and efforts
to stop corruption fade when leaders and high
level officials abuse power to appropriate public
funds for personal gain,” Ugaz said.
According to Ugaz, countries at the top of the
index should make sure they do not export
corrupt practices to underdeveloped countries.
“The biggest falls were in Turkey (-5), Angola,
China, Malawi and Rwanda (all -4).
The biggest
improvers were Côte d´Ivoire, Egypt, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines (+5) and
Afghanistan, Jordan, Mali and Swaziland (+4),”
the statement said.
The anti-corruption group said it was currently
running a campaign to unmask the corrupt,
urging the European Union, the United States and
G20 countries to follow Denmark’s lead and
create public registers that would make clear
“who really controls, or is the beneficial owner,
of every company.”n
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