💵 More and more Nigerians are refusing bribes

• Over 70 percent of Nigerians surveyed refused to pay bribes at least once during 2023.
• The proportion reporting bribery attempts increased from 3.6 percent in 2019 to 8.6 percent in 2023.
• Fewer experienced negative consequences after refusing to pay bribes in 2023 compared to 2019.

New report shows changing attitudes towards corruption

A new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that more and more Nigerians are taking a stand against corruption. The report is based on a comprehensive survey of Nigerian citizens' experiences with bribery.

According to the report, over 70 percent of Nigerians surveyed refused to pay a requested bribe on at least one occasion during 2023.

The survey also shows that fewer people experienced negative consequences after refusing to pay bribes. In 2023, 38 percent reported negative consequences, compared to 49 percent in 2019.

Increased number of reports

The number of people reporting bribery attempts to authorities increased significantly between 2019 and 2023. In 2023, 8.6 percent of those who paid a bribe reported their experience, compared to 3.6 percent in 2019.

The report also shows that the reports are being taken more seriously. The proportion of reports leading to formal action against public officials increased from 16 percent in 2019 to 45 percent in 2023.

Women are less likely to participate in corruption regardless of where they live, age, educational background, and employment status. When in contact with public officials, women (28 percent) are less likely to experience bribery attempts than men (39 percent).

Among public officials, only 19 percent of women solicit or accept bribes in contact with the public, compared to 35 percent of men.

A major problem that is becoming smaller

Despite the progress, corruption is still ranked as one of the biggest problems affecting Nigerians, after cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment.

During 2023, approximately 1.26 billion dollars were paid in cash bribes to public officials, equivalent to 0.35 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

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