This month countries across the African continent are marking the ninth African Anti-Corruption Day. This is an important opportunity to recognise both the progress that many countries have made in the fight against corruption in Africa and the significant work still left to do. The African Union has committed to bringing together countries to put in place measures to tackle corruption – such as action to strengthen democracy, good governance and the rule of law – since African leaders adopted a Convention on Preventing and Combatting Corruption more than two decades ago.
But more needs to be done. Led by its 28 African chapters, Transparency International is calling on the African Union to ensure that the rights of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities are protected. It is also key to accelerate measures to prioritise inclusivity, social justice and equitable access to public resources as well as systematic state accountability.
Having robust measures in place to tackle corruption is key to achieving development goals to beat poverty and ensure no one is left behind, which was explicitly recognised by leaders in the Financing for Development agreement earlier this month.
When corruption goes unchecked, it undermines the quality and quantity of public services such as education and health care, fuelling inequalities and particularly impacting women, girls and other groups at risk of discrimination.
In 2024, the Sub-Saharan African region once again registered the lowest average score on Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), at just 33 out of 100, with 90 per cent of countries scoring below 50. Yet amid this very low annual performance, there were African countries that invested in anti-corruption and made remarkable progress, which you can read about here. In North Africa, where the average CPI score is 31, citizens continue to bravely call for reform in the face of attacks on freedom of expression.
Transparency International is committed to working with all those who want to end the injustice of corruption in Africa by promoting transparency, accountability and integrity.