ABUJA — Nigeria’s long-standing battle against systemic graft has suffered a disheartening setback as Transparency International (TI) released its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), showing the country has retrogressed on the global stage.
In the report released on Tuesday evening, February 10, 2026, Nigeria dropped two places, ranking 142nd out of 180 countries surveyed. This decline from the 140th position held in 2024 officially marks Nigeria as the 36th most corrupt nation in the world, a stinging verdict for an administration that has repeatedly pledged to “clean the stable.”
A Scorecard of Stagnation
Despite a series of high-profile arrests and the much-publicised “Renewed Hope” agenda, Nigeria’s CPI score remains a dismal 25 out of 100 points.
- Institutional Decay: The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), TI’s national chapter, noted that the drop is largely driven by “pervasive corruption in the public sector” and the perceived “political interference” in judicial and anti-graft processes.
- The Judiciary Factor: Analysts pointed to the ₦310 million judicial fine against the police for the illegal detention of a lawyer as a rare win, but argued it is overshadowed by a wider culture of impunity.
High-Profile Scandals and ‘Regime Security’
The retrogressive ranking arrives amidst a flurry of domestic scandals that have gripped the public imagination:
- The NSITF Billions: Recent exclusive reports of an NSITF CEO allegedly managing a ₦297 billion fund through 100+ bank accounts linked to a single BVN have become a symbol of “unchecked executive power.”
- The Malami Trial: The ongoing terrorism financing trial of former AGF Abubakar Malami continues to raise questions about “sacred cows” within the corridors of power.
- The Washington Lobby: Opposition groups like the ADC have slammed the administration for spending $9 million on Washington lobbyists to “burnish its image” while domestic transparency continues to erode.
The ‘Rigging’ Anxiety and the Ballot
Transparency International’s findings have provided fresh ammunition for those protesting at the National Assembly gates over the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic result transmission.
- Opposition Reaction: Mr. Peter Obi and Kenneth Okonkwo have linked the “corruption of the ballot” to the broader failure of the Tinubu-led administration to improve Nigeria’s global standing.
- The El-Rufai Warning: Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai recently warned that the country is prioritizing “Regime Security” over institutional integrity.
The Cost of Corruption
With petrol nearing ₦1,000 per litre and the national debt at ₦152 trillion, economists warn that a worsening corruption ranking will further discourage foreign investment. Professor Usman Yusuf noted that “corruption is the hidden tax that the 133 million Nigerians in poverty can no longer afford to pay.”
As of Wednesday morning, February 11, 2026, the Presidency has yet to issue a formal rebuttal to the TI report. However, the timing is critical as the Joint Conference Committee meets to decide the fate of the Electoral Act, a decision that TI analysts say will significantly impact the 2026 ranking.
