How Nigerians Paid N721Billion Bribes to Public Officials in 2023

A new survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N721 billion in cash bribes to government officials in 2023.

The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” sheds light on the widespread use of cash bribes across the country.

According to the survey, over 95 per cent of all bribes in 2023 were paid in cash. This significant amount is equivalent to about $1.26 billion and represents 0.35 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“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.

The report details where these bribes were given:

• 35 percent were paid in public officials’ offices
• 36 percent happened on the streets
• 11 percent took place in people’s homes
• 7 percent occurred in public places like restaurants, malls, or stations

The survey also found that healthcare workers and public utility officers were the most frequently bribed, with 30 percent and 24 percent of interactions involving bribes, respectively. Police officers followed with a 20 percent rate of bribery.

Nigerians’ confidence in the government’s anti-corruption efforts has also declined. In 2019, more than half of Nigerians believed the government was effectively fighting corruption. By 2023, this number had dropped to less than a third.

The NBS report also shows an increase in private-sector bribery. In 2023, 14 percent of citizens had at least one contact with a private sector worker involving a bribe, up from 6 percent in 2019.