Total of N721bn cash bribes paid to govt officials — NBS survey

According to a study published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigerians bribed public officials with cash for N721 billion in 2023.

According to the survey report “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” which was published yesterday, over 95% of all bribes paid by Nigerians in 2023 took the form of cash.

Additionally, the report revealed that throughout the evaluation period, Nigerians’ trust in the government’s anti-corruption initiatives fell.

The report 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 (GDP) of Nigeria.

“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.

“11 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.

“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.”

On Nigerians confidence in government anti-corruption efforts, NBS said: “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.”

NBS report also revealed that 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.