A report released by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that Nigerian public officials received ₦721 billion in bribes in 2023. The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” highlights the pervasive nature of bribery in the country and its economic impact.

Based on a survey conducted with UNODC, the report states that the ₦721 billion in bribes amounts to approximately 0.35% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The average cash bribe in 2023 was ₦8,284, up from ₦5,754 in 2019. However, when adjusted for inflation, the average bribe was 29% smaller in 2023 compared to 2019.

The survey indicates that 56% of Nigerians interacted with a public official in 2023, down from 63% in 2019. Despite this decrease, bribery remains widespread, with an average of 5.1 bribes paid per bribe payer, totaling around 87 million bribes nationwide—a decline from 117 million in 2019.

The report notes that over 95% of bribes were paid in cash or via money transfer in 2023. While bribery in the public sector remains high, there is an increasing incidence of bribes in the private sector, particularly among doctors in private hospitals, rising from 6% in 2019 to 14% in 2023.

In 2023, 27% of Nigerians who interacted with a public official paid a bribe, a slight decrease from 29% in 2019. Including instances where bribes were requested but refused, over one-third of interactions between citizens and public officials involved bribery.

The report also shows a growing trend of Nigerians refusing to pay bribes. In 2023, 70% of those asked to pay a bribe refused at least once, with the highest refusal rates in the North-West zone at 76%. All regions recorded refusal rates above 60%, indicating increasing resistance to corruption.

Bribery is becoming less accepted in Nigeria, with only 23% of citizens in 2023 viewing bribery requests as acceptable to expedite administrative procedures, down from 29% in 2019. Additionally, fewer citizens reported suffering negative consequences after refusing bribe requests in 2023 compared to 2019.

Between 2020 and 2023, over 60% of public sector workers were hired due to nepotism, bribery, or both. The report reveals that 27% of these candidates admitted to using bribery, 13% to nepotism, and 19% to both. Conversely, 40% claimed to have secured their positions without such means.

The selection process for public officials plays a crucial role in shaping integrity and professionalism in the civil service. The 2023 survey findings indicate that nearly half of public sector hires in the past three years admitted to paying a bribe to facilitate their recruitment, a significant increase from 31% in 2019. Furthermore, a considerable number of recruits secured their posts with the help of friends or relatives, with 32% admitting to such assistance.

The report highlights that the use of bribery is notably lower when the recruitment process includes formal assessments. Among candidates who underwent a written test or oral interview, 41% used bribery or nepotism, compared to 53% among those who were not formally assessed.

Bribery is more common in rural areas, with rural residents paying an average of 5.8 bribes compared to 4.5 in urban areas. Corruption was ranked fourth among the most important problems affecting Nigeria in 2023, after the cost of living, insecurity, and unemployment. Confidence in the government’s anti-corruption efforts has declined, with less than a third of citizens believing the government is effective in fighting corruption, down from over half in 2019.