Africa-Press. Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) shows continued deterioration in integrity and governance across Africa, where some countries face among the highest levels of corruption in the world.
The index is based on assessments by experts and businesspeople regarding their perceptions of corruption and the measures taken to combat it. It paints a bleak picture of sub-Saharan Africa, ranked the worst globally with an average score of 32 out of 100, while only four countries managed to exceed the 50-point threshold.
Somalia and South Sudan sit at the bottom of the ranking after failing to implement public financial management reforms despite the years that have passed since the 2018 peace agreement was signed.
The report notes that officials in both countries have turned to increasingly sophisticated and complex methods to embezzle public resources, which has contributed to worsening institutional crises.
The index also highlights a worrying trend: ten countries have seen their scores decline over the past decade. One of the clearest examples is Mozambique, which lost a full ten points. In the first quarter of last year alone, more than 330 corruption cases were recorded, with a total value estimated at around $4 million—reflecting the expanding scope of corruption and weak accountability mechanisms.
By contrast, only seven countries improved their scores, including Angola, which gained 17 points after adopting new anti-corruption measures, even though it remains in the lower ranks of the index.
The report says many Angolans still hesitate to report corruption for fear of retaliation, and are calling for tougher measures and tangible results.
Despite the grim outlook, the report highlights positive models on the continent: Seychelles leads Africa’s rankings, followed by Cape Verde, Botswana, and Rwanda. Transparency International praises these countries for building strong oversight institutions, establishing specialized prosecutors’ offices, and allocating sufficient resources to strengthen the fight against financial crimes.
The organization urges the African Union and its member states to seriously commit to implementing the Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, signed more than twenty years ago, warning that slow implementation worsens conditions and strengthens cross-border corruption networks.
Concerns are not limited to Africa. Transparency International also expressed deep worry about a growing global trend toward declining integrity—even within democratic systems—pointing to noticeable setbacks in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France, reflecting a broader crisis of trust in institutions and oversight mechanisms.
