A new report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerian public officials received N721 billion in bribes in 2023.
The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” was released on Thursday and states that the amount paid in bribes constitutes about 0.35 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The findings, based on a survey conducted with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, highlight that the average cash bribe in 2023 was N8,284, up from N5,754 in 2019.
However, the report noted that this increase does not account for inflation, making the inflation-adjusted average cash bribe 29 per cent smaller than in 2019.
The report reads, “Overall, it is estimated that a total of roughly NGN 721 billion (US$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.”
According to the report, corruption was ranked as the fourth most significant problem affecting Nigeria in 2023, following the cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment.
Despite a reduction in interactions between citizens and public officials (56 per cent in 2023 compared to 63 per cent in 2019), bribery remains widespread.
On average, 5.1 bribes were paid per bribe payer, totalling approximately 87 million bribes nationwide, a decrease from 117 million in 2019.
Bribery was found to be more prevalent in rural areas, with rural residents paying an average of 5.8 bribes compared to 4.5 bribes in urban areas.
Over 95 per cent of bribes were paid in monetary form, either cash or money transfer. The report also highlighted an increase in bribes demanded by private sector actors, such as doctors in private hospitals, from 6 per cent in 2019 to 14 per cent in 2023.
Despite these trends, the report indicates a growing refusal to pay bribes among Nigerians.
In 2023, 70 per cent of those asked to pay a bribe refused at least once, with the highest refusal rates in the North-West zone at 76 per cent.
Furthermore, the percentage of citizens who view bribery requests as acceptable to expedite administrative procedures decreased from 29 per cent in 2019 to 23 per cent in 2023.
The report also sheds light on unethical recruitment practices within the public sector. Between 2020 and 2023, over 60 per cent of public sector workers were hired due to nepotism, bribery, or both.
Specifically, 27 per cent of successful candidates admitted to using only bribery, 13 per cent to only nepotism, and 19 per cent to both. In contrast, 40 per cent of candidates claimed to have secured their positions without resorting to such means.