The 10 least corrupt countries in Africa are evidence that the fight against corruption is not just possible, but probable as well. Corruption in Africa has been a major issue for decades, with everyone getting in on the act, from the government and judiciary to the local police.
In certain countries located in Africa, you do not need to be driving illegally or suspiciously to be confronted by the police. In fact, you don’t have to be guilty of anything at all. Often times, the police will simply stop you in the hopes of getting a bribe in return for letting you go. On the other hand, if you actually break the law, their earnings can increase exponentially. The law in some countries demands bail and a court appearance in the case of breaking the law while driving, but the police can often get the person to cough up some money in exchange for letting them go.
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The problem goes much beyond driving though. If you want to build a school, start a business or even get promoted, you may have to pay off people, which can be very damaging both financially and morally. Furthermore, this system encourages the rich to commit infractions. They can simply throw money to cover up their activities while the poor are unable to even defend themselves. Nearly 75 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are estimated to have paid a bribe in the past year – some to escape punishment by the police or courts, but many forced to pay to get access to the basic services that they desperately need.
Transparency International has always tried to put facts and figures regarding corruption in the world. It also conducted surveys in dozens of countries in Africa to determine the level of corruption. According to its findings, nearly a quarter of the African population, or 22%, admitted to paying bribes to public officials. The findings are even more startling when you look at specific countries; for example, in Liberia, the figure was 69% while for Nigeria it was 43%. Generally, these bribes found their way into the pockets of court officials and police officers, which is unsurprising considering the scenario we mentioned earlier. Surveys also indicated that the general population thought that the problem of corruption was worsening, with 83% of South Africans agreeing that corruption was worse when compared to the previous year.
Thus, it is no surprise that many African countries feature in the 10 Most Corrupt Countries in the World. However, every cloud has a silver lining, and some of the countries in Africa have worked hard to get rid of corruption. Of course, getting completely rid of corruption is not possible. After all, according to Transparency International, there are no countries in the world which are free from corruption. In fact, countries which rank extremely high have actually outsourced their corruption, as evidenced by a Swedish firm bribing officials while trying to establish its business in Uzbekistan.
Transparency International also prepares a report with the Corruption Perception Index which ranks a country according to the perceived corruption taking place. We filtered the African countries from the list to determine our rankings. We also considered a survey conducted by Transparency International in Africa, where key questions regarding corruption were asked from the general population and the countries were ranked in accordance with how they answered the questions. We used the two criteria to calculate our rankings. If you are wondering which African countries are successfully fighting corruption, the list of 11 least corrupt countries in Africa will be a must read for you.
11. Cote D’ivoire
Worldwide Rank: 66
CPI 2015 Score: 42
Ranking according to Survey: 9
Average score: 5
The corruption in Ivory Coast is present in all levels of bureaucracy, including the much-maligned police. Furthermore, due to civil war, government position and the country’s infrastructure has been decimated, thereby giving the law enforcement officers even greater impunity. Due to the civil war in the country, corruption has actually increased. For example, a story shows how a package worth $36 ended up costing a man around $360 due to extra charges tacked on by officials.
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10. South Africa
Worldwide Rank: 61
CPI 2015 Score: 44
Ranking according to Survey: 18
Average score: 6
Corruption laws in South Africa, one of the least corrupt countries in Africa, are very stringent, as evidenced by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act. However, laws are not strictly enforced, which has led to widespread corruption, especially in the case of bribes paid to police officers and the courts. On the other hand, the high-level judiciary has successfully combated corruption, though it is still prevalent in the lower levels. Furthermore, businesses have been encouraged by the fact that there is little threat of corruption present in the tax and land administrations in the country.
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9. Niger
Worldwide Rank: 61
CPI 2015 Score: 44
Ranking according to Survey: 8
Average score: 6.5
Barely edging out South Africa in the list of 11 least corrupt African countries, Niger’s corruption is mainly due to a weak administration present in the country which has proved inefficient in tackling the culture of corruption. However, the situation is improving as the President of the country has worked hard to combat the corruption prevalent in the country and has actually had some measure of success in this regard.
8. Mali
Worldwide Rank: 95
CPI 2015 Score: 35
Ranking according to Survey: 6
Average score: 9
The trend of corruption in Mali, one of the least corrupt countries in Africa, is in conformity with the other countries in Africa, with the judiciary and public procurement being the most susceptible to unethical and immoral activities. This will continue for the near future though it is also important to acknowledge that the country has started to combat corruption by initiation reforms as well as carrying out studies and surveys in this regard. To properly combat corruption, the Office of the Auditor General was established in 2003 which has been the main reason behind the drop in corruption in the country.
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7. Burkina Faso
Worldwide Rank: 76
CPI 2015 Score: 38
Ranking according to Survey: 4
Average score: 12
As is prevalent among countries in Africa, corruption in Burkina Faso has permeated the government and all sectors of the economy. Depended on aid for its survival, such donations are often misappropriated or misused by officials to suit their own purposes. However, strict penalties are being meted out to offenders and that has helped curb corruption to some extent.
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6. Mauritius
Worldwide Rank: 45
CPI 2015 Score: 53
Ranking according to Survey: 10
Average score: 12.5
Mauritius, next on the least corrupt countries in Africa list, has been the victim of corruption to a significant extent, leading to the US embassy calling the problem ingrained in the country in a leaked 2008 cable. However, news such as the Dutch group Boskalis being fined for making illegal payments to official has led to hope that the country will face corruption and end it.
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5. Namibia
Worldwide Rank: 45
CPI 2015 Score: 53
Ranking according to Survey: 7
Average score: 14
Namibia has been the victim of corruption ever since its inception, but has strengthened its resolve in fighting against it, with its primary weapon being the Anti-Corruption Act. While the Act has tough laws to crack down on corruption, weak administering is hampering the country’s effort in getting rid of it once and for all.
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4. Senegal
Worldwide Rank: 61
CPI 2015 Score: 44
Ranking according to Survey: 3
Average score: 15
Senegal, one of the least corrupt countries in Africa, still suffers from corruption, which is especially prevalent in the judiciary. Not only are bribes common when dealing with the judiciary, it is also susceptible to the influence of the government, family members and politicians. Meanwhile, the police force represents a concern as well since they often harass the public and abuse the power they possess. The current government in Senegal has attempted to tackle corruption and has been successful to some extent. This has been achieved by the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Office which has been more effective than its predecessor.
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3. Lesotho
Worldwide Rank: 61
CPI 2015 Score: 44
Ranking according to Survey: 2
Average score: 15
Lesotho, number three on our list of least corrupt countries in Africa, was plagued by corruption for a long time amongst other maladies, such as HIV, which infected nearly a quarter of the entire population. However, as democracy was implemented by the country, the status of corruption improved, with each succeeding party hoping to bring an end to corruption, and implementing relevant measure therein. This can be evidenced by the conviction of senior officials who were involved in the scandal. Further laws enacted in 2006 forced public officials to disclose assets they held, which was aimed to further bring transparency to the government.
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2. Cape Verde
Worldwide Rank: 61
CPI 2015 Score: 44
Ranking according to Survey: 2
Average score: 15
Cape Verde may be among the least corrupt countries in the continent but recently in 2014, the opposition claimed that the government was guilty of misappropriating funds given for the development of infrastructure. However, due to economic and political stability, the country has been able to maintain a sustained effort against corruption and has achieved significant success.
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1. Botswana
Worldwide Rank: 1
CPI 2015 Score: 63
Ranking according to Survey: 1
Average score: 19
There is no doubt that Botswana is one of the 10 least corrupt countries in Africa, with a corruption surveying showing that over 95% of the populations stated that they had never had to bribe a person, which is an incredible statistic. There is some way to go before the country is considered to be one of the least corrupt countries in the world, but if it continues the way it has, that should not be a problem.
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