Comparison between 2016 and 2019
When it comes to perceived trends in corruption, more than half of Nigerians believe that corruption increased in the two years prior to the 2019 survey. The perception of corruption as a continuously increasing problem, irrespective of the actual experience of acts of corruption, is a phenomenon observed in many countries and may be driven by media coverage of high-profile cases of corruption.
Although public perceptions of corruption are not generally well aligned with actual experiences of corruption, meaning that perception-based indicators do not necessarily correlate well with experience-based indicators, the opinions and perceptions of the Nigerian population about corruption are important for a number of reasons. For example, popular support for anti-corruption policies and measures can have a positive influence on the application of those measures. Citizens attitudes about the acceptance or refusal of bribes can influence the behaviour of others when faced with bribe requests, as can their willingness to report observed cases of bribery.
Analysis of the most pressing problems afflicting their country, as reported by citizens of Nigeria in 2019, shows that corruption has moved down the list from 3rd to 5th position, while there has been a sharp increase in the level of public concern about security and health issues. Around 9 per cent of Nigerians considered corruption to be the most important problem facing their country, a decrease of more than a third since the 14 per cent recorded in the 2016 survey.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics
