A new report by the National Bureau of Statistics has revealed that Nigerians paid an astounding N721 billion in cash bribes to public officials in 2023.
This disclosure was made in a survey report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends”, on Thursday.
The report focuses on the incidence and impact of bribery in the country.
The report indicated that more than 95% of all bribes paid in 2023 were in monetary form.
It stated “Overall, it is estimated that a total of roughly N721 billion ($1.26 billion) was paid in cash bribes to public officials in Nigeria in 2023, corresponding to 0.35 per cent of the entire Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria.”
The survey also detailed where bribes were most commonly paid, “In 2023, bribes paid in a public official’s office and the street accounted for around 35 and 36 per cent of all paid bribes, respectively. Eleven per cent of bribes were paid in the respondents’ own homes, while 7 per cent were paid in public buildings such as restaurants, malls, or stations.”
The report noted, “In 2023, the largest share of Nigerian citizens that had contact with health care professionals and public utility officers for bribery was at 30 per cent and 24 per cent respectively. Police officers came third, with a contact rate of 20 per cent.”
The NBS survey also identified a worrying trend in public view of the government’s anti-corruption measures, “Nigerians’ confidence in the government’s anti-corruption effort has been declining over time and across regions. While in 2019, more than half of all citizens thought that the government was effective in fighting corruption, in 2023, the share declined to less than a third of all citizens.”
Additionally, the report revealed an increase in private sector bribery. “Private sector bribery increased from 6.0 per cent of citizens who had at least one contact with a private sector actor in 2019 to 14 per cent in 2023.”
