To rank the most corrupt countries in Africa, we would need a metric to ‘quantify’ each country’s corruption. Transparency International, a worldwide civil society organization that combats corruption, provides this metric–CPI.
Not quite long, we published the ranking of the top 10 strongest currencies in Africa. Today, it’s going to be about the most corrupt countries.
Corruption Perception Index (CPI) measures how corrupt a country’s public sector is. It ranges from an index of 0 to an index of 100. An index of 100 denotes the least corrupt, and an index of 0 denotes the most corrupt.
In summary, the lower the CPI, the more corrupt a country is, and vice versa. Analysis from Transparency International puts Sub-Saharan Africa as the most corrupt region in the world with an average CPI of 33.
This shows us that the most corrupt countries in Africa are among the most corrupt countries worldwide.
This article provides you with the ten most corrupt countries in Africa by CPI. We’ll start from the least and work our way up to the most corrupt.
#10. Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is coming up at the rear of the ten most corrupt countries in Africa. Analysis from Transparency International puts the country’s CPI at 21.
This West African country is plagued by many social vices resulting from the government’s mismanagement. This has led to national instability bordering on collapse.
Most of its citizens live in abject poverty, with many of their fundamental human rights violated daily. Law enforcement in Guinea-Bissau is so weak that it is almost non-existent.
Meanwhile, most of the country’s leaders are not accountable, thus engaging in the trafficking of drugs and weapons.
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#9. Chad
Chad takes 9th place in the list of the most corrupt countries in Africa, with a CPI of 20.
This Central African country lies neck-deep in bribery, nepotism, favoritism, and tribalism, among other vices. Electoral fraud in all its forms is also characteristic of the country’s governmental structure.
The executive arm tightly controls the judicial arm of the country’s government. So the country’s leaders can rule as they please without any consequence.
Corrupt practices are also rife in public service institutions at all levels.
#8. Comoros
Comoros ranks #8 among the most corrupt countries in Africa. Analysis from Transparency International also puts its CPI at 20.
Further analysis also shows that its CPI keeps dropping every year, so Comoros’ corruption is increasing. The reasons for this are not far-fetched.
Ineffective law enforcement, low cost of living, and bad governance, among many others. Low per capita income breeds low living costs and also plagues the country.
#7. Sudan
Next on the list of the most corrupt countries in Africa is Sudan. This country is located in North Africa and has a CPI of 20.
Sudan is plagued by a lack of accountability of its leaders, no respect for the rule of law, and general political instability. The fundamental rights of citizens are not protected.
The country’s sectors are pervaded by corrupt practices, including abuse of power, bribery, and nepotism, among many others.
Grand-scale fraud and embezzlement of public funds are characteristic of almost every governmental and institutional position.
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#6. Burundi
Burundi ranks #6 among the most corrupt countries in Africa, but tops the list of the poorest countries in Africa. Located in East Africa, it has a CPI of 19.
Burundi has had more than its fair share of political strife, intertribal contentions, ethnic wars, and the like. All these have made Burundi one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries.
Defective law enforcement, insurgency, instability, and ethnicism are a few of the vices that plague Burundi. It also doesn’t help that majority of Burundi’s leaders practice authoritarianism.
#5. The Democratic Republic of the Congo
This Central African country ranks #5 among the most corrupt countries in Africa. Analysis from Transparency International gives it a CPI of 19.
Most of the country’s leaders are just interested in looting its natural resources and wealth for themselves and their families. Corrupt practices pervade every institution in DRC.
Electoral malpractices, embezzling public funds, exploitation, and abuse of power, among other things, have brought the country to a near collapse.
#4. Equatorial Guinea
Next up is Equatorial Guinea, a country located in Central Africa. This is one of the most corrupt countries in Africa, having a CPI of 17.
We can correctly summarize that the welfare of citizens is not the focus of the leaders of Equatorial Guinea. Corruption is so incorporated in this country that it could be regarded as a criminal state.
A country has a lot of natural resources, yet its citizens live in some of the worst conditions on Earth. All because a small group of influential individuals controls the wealth.
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#3. Libya
This North African country occupies 3rd place among the most corrupt countries in Africa. The analysis puts its CPI at 17.
The country is rife with political unrest and instability bordering on collapse. Some metrics categorize Libya as a failed state already.
Bribery, defective law enforcement, embezzling public funds, civil wars, and human rights violation is the day’s order in Libya.
Libya has a lot of natural resources in high demand. But its leaders loot all the country’s wealth with impunity, and nobody to keep their actions in check.
#2. Somalia
Somalia is number 2 on the list of the most corrupt countries in Africa. This East African country has a CPI of 13.
The levels of corruption in Somalia are near astronomical. No accountability whatsoever in the expenditure of public funds by government leaders.
Insecurity is a leading issue, too, alongside famine, drought, and the like. All these make Somalia one of the most uninhabitable countries in Africa and the world.
#1. South Sudan
South Sudan ranks as the #1 most corrupt country in Africa with a CPI of 11. It is also the #1 most corrupt country in the world, having the lowest recorded CPI so far.
It is also among the most dangerous countries to live in, the worst countries in the world, among other negative categories.
Leaders create an environment conducive to looting public funds, embezzling, and money laundering with impunity. A failed judiciary and defective law enforcement make for zero accountability.
Despite its rich natural resources, citizens live in abject poverty as the corrupt elite controls the wealth.
Most Corrupt Countries In Africa (Conclusion)
Corruption is poisonous to any society. It undermines democratic governance and portrays a bad image for any country that it is prevalent.
Though it eats deep into the fabric of any society, it can still be gotten rid of. This would require unanimous cooperation and responsibility on the part of citizens and accountability on the part of leaders.
