On the 2019 corruption perception index published by Transparency International (TI), Nigeria has dropped two places.
Going by the report which was released on Thursday, Nigeria is now ranked 146 out of the 180 countries considered by TI.
The country scored 26 out of 100 points, a drop from the 27 points that it has maintained since 2017.
In the 2018 ranking, Nigeria rose by four places on the index, that is, from 148 to 144.
The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption in the opinion of experts and business people, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
“The Corruption Perceptions Index 2019 reveals a staggering number of countries are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption. Our analysis also suggests that reducing big money in politics and promoting inclusive political decision-making are essential to curb corruption,” the report read.
“From fraud that occurs at the highest levels of government to petty bribery that blocks access to basic public services like healthcare and education, citizens are fed up with corrupt leaders and institutions.
“This frustration fuels a growing lack of trust in government and further erodes public confidence in political leaders, elected officials and democracy.”
“Governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems,” Delia Ferreira Rubio, Transparency International’s chair, said.
The sub-Saharan Africa region was classified as the lowest-performing region while western Europe was the highest-scoring region.