The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that in 2023, Nigerians spent over ₦700 billion in cash bribes to public officials.
According to the bureau, there was a rise in the average cash bribe paid in 2023 from ₦5,754 in 2019 to ₦8,284. In terms of what could be purchased with the money, the average bribe size in 2023 was actually 29% smaller than in 2019 after accounting for inflation.
Roughly ₦721 billion, or US$1.26 billion, is projected to be paid in cash bribes overall in 2023; this amounts to 0.35 percent of Nigeria’s GDP (gross domestic product).
Over 95% of bribes are paid in cash or through money transfers, according to the survey, which also shows that cash is still the most common method of payment for bribery. This represents a modest increase over 2019, highlighting the continued bribery’s reliance on financial transactions.
Though not as often as in the past, public officials still openly solicit bribes. 52 percent of all bribery transactions in 2023 were direct requests for bribes made by public officials, a decrease from 60 percent in 2019. Of the total, 23% consisted of indirect requests, and 9% were impulsive payments made to speed up processes. Remarkably, 8% of bribes were paid out as a thank-you for services done without any prior request.
Payments for bribes are now made at different times. The percentage of bribes that were paid before a service was rendered dropped to 58 percent in 2023 from 67 percent in 2019. On the other hand, following the service, 22% of bribes were paid, up from 15% in 2019.
When coupled with indirect requests from public officials, the trend towards more retroactive bribery may indicate a gradual shift in the power dynamics between officials and citizens in favour of the latter. It may also suggest a decrease in the assertiveness of public officials’ requests for bribes.
The majority of bribes were paid in public places, with 35% taking place at the offices of public officials and 36% in public spaces. Additionally, 11% of bribes were paid in the residences of the respondents, and 7% occurred in public places including stations, shops, and restaurants.
Approximately 87 million bribes were paid in 2023, a significant decrease from the 117 million bribes recorded in 2019. This indicates a favorable trend towards decreased corruption, with an average of 0.8 bribes per adult.
Additionally, according to the data, 56% of Nigerians reported having at least one interaction with a public figure in the year before the survey. This indicates a drop in the contact rate from 2019 (63%) that was noted for the majority of public official categories and zones.
Urban areas continue to have higher contact rates (61%) with public authorities than rural areas (52%). In 2023, thirty percent of Nigerians and twenty-four percent of public utility personnel, respectively, had interaction with health care specialists. Officers in the police department ranked third, with a 20% contact rate.
“In general, bribery occurs more frequently in rural regions than in urban ones. Urban bribe-payers paid an average of 4.5 bribes in 2023, whilst rural bribe-payers paid an average of 5.8 bribes.”
“While still on the rise, private sector bribery is still less common than public-sector bribery. From 6% of citizens who had at least one interaction with a private sector actor in 2019 to 14% in 2023, the prevalence of bribe payments to private sector actors (such as doctors at private hospitals and employees of private enterprises) increased significantly. Between 2019 and 2023, there was an increase in bribery in the private sector in all regions and among all categories of private employees.”
“Despite this increase, the prevalence of bribery in the public sector remains almost double that of the private sector. Furthermore, citizens’ contact with the public sector is approximately twice as high (56%) as their contact with private sector players (28%).”
“Citizens interact with public sector actors at a rate roughly twice as high as they do with private sector actors, which is 28% and 56%, respectively.”
The NBS poll emphasizes the necessity for ongoing efforts to eliminate bribery and advance transparency in public services, as well as the ongoing challenge of corruption in Nigeria.
