Nigerian Accountability Group Demands Action After Poor Corruption Ranking
Following Nigeria’s low placement in the 2025 Corruption Perception Index, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has urged the federal government to urgently seal systemic漏洞 that perpetuate graft. The Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, issued the call during a television interview on Wednesday, reacting to the index released by Transparency International.
The 2025 CPI ranked Nigeria 142nd out of 182 countries, indicating a high level of perceived public sector corruption. Rafsanjani linked this outcome directly to ongoing, documented instances of corruption within key state institutions. He cited recent reports from Nigeria’s Auditor-General, which he said implicate the National Assembly, with legislators reportedly demanding bribes before motions are allowed. “This is a very serious issue,” Rafsanjani stated.
He further highlighted findings from the Auditor-General’s reports on the judiciary, corroborated by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which point to deepening corruption concerns within the justice system. Rafsanjani asserted that the perception that judgments can be procured undermines access to justice for ordinary citizens, creating a disconnect between formal rankings and on-the-ground realities. “There’s no way the Corruption Perception Index will improve if these real-time corruptions are happening in Nigeria,” he added.
The Transparency International index serves as a global benchmark, measuring perceived levels of public sector corruption through expert and business opinion surveys. A higher ranking signifies a cleaner public sector. Nigeria’s position reflects persistent challenges in transparency, accountability, and the enforcement of anti-corruption laws.
Rafsanjani emphasized that the 2025 report must act as a catalyst for internal reform. “So Transparency International is issuing this report as a wake-up call so that we can look at gaps and block those leakages,” he said. His statement underscores a civil society demand for concrete institutional reforms, stronger oversight mechanisms, and the rigorous prosecution of reported corruption cases across the legislative and judicial branches to effect meaningful improvement in future indices.
