A survey by Afrobarometer has revealed a drastic rise in corruption across 36 African countries in 2021 and 2022.

In these countries, the report indicates a significant increase of 46% in corruption, a moderate increase of 12%, and a stagnation at approximately 20%.

According to the survey, nearly 58% of Africans state that corruption has intensified in their respective countries over the past year.

Afrobarometer emphasized the situation has notably deteriorated in 12 out of 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022.

The report further highlights specific countries where corruption has witnessed a sharp surge, including Senegal (leading with a 39-percentage point increase), Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d'Ivoire (+22 points).

“Almost six in 10 Africans (58%) say that corruption in their countries increased over the past year. The situation has worsened significantly in 12 of the 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022, most dramatically in Senegal (where perceptions of increasing corruption have risen by 39 percentage points), Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d’Ivoire (+22 points).

In contrast, Afrobarometer's report highlights a remarkable improvement in Benin, where the proportion of respondents reporting an increase in corruption dropped significantly by -61 percentage points.

Additionally, Afrobarometer notes that while a majority of Africans acknowledge the increase in corruption within their countries, there is a prevailing fear among individuals to report such cases to authorities.

“A majority of Africans say that corruption has increased in their countries, but an even largerproportion fear retaliation should they report corrupt acts to the authorities,” Afrobarometer hinted in its report.

Maame Akua Amoah Twum, Afrobarometer's communications coordinator for anglophone West and North Africa, revealed these findings during a corruption webinar hosted by the Data for Governance Alliance in partnership with the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption.

The webinar's theme was "Civil society organizations' Contribution to driving accountability in the Fight against Corruption in Africa."

This event served as a prelude to the 20th anniversary celebration of the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), scheduled to take place on 11th July 2023 in Arusha, Tanzania.