Top 10 Most Corrupt Countries in Africa: 2025 CPI Rankings

Corruption continues to rank among the most serious barriers to development, democratic governance and social equity across Africa. Its effects are visible in weakened public institutions, compromised justice systems, poor service delivery and widening inequality, all of which directly affect everyday life.

The Top 10 Most Corrupt Countries in Africa: 2025 CPI Rankings are based on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 and provide a data-led overview of where corruption is perceived to be most severe on the continent.

The Corruption Perceptions Index is the world’s most widely cited indicator of public-sector corruption. It assesses one hundred and eighty-two (182) countries and territories, drawing on thirteen (13) independent data sources that include expert assessments and business surveys. Countries are scored on a scale from zero (0) to one hundred (100), where lower scores reflect higher perceived levels of corruption. This ranking focuses specifically on African countries with the lowest CPI scores, highlighting environments where governance challenges remain most acute.

The 2025 CPI reveals a troubling global trend. The worldwide average score has dropped to forty-two (42), marking its first decline in more than a decade. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the lowest-performing region globally, with an average score of just thirty-two (32). More than two-thirds of countries worldwide score below fifty (50), underscoring the reality that corruption is a widespread and systemic issue rather than an isolated phenomenon. In Africa, persistently low scores are often associated with fragile state institutions, limited judicial independence, restricted civic space and prolonged political instability.

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Countries occupying the bottom tier of Africa’s CPI rankings frequently contend with multiple, overlapping governance weaknesses. These include politicised justice systems, weak checks and balances, constrained media freedom and inadequate protection for whistleblowers and civil society organisations. In such contexts, corruption becomes deeply embedded in public life, influencing how power is exercised and how state resources are distributed. The consequences are far-reaching, ranging from mismanaged public finances and declining infrastructure to reduced investor confidence and eroding public trust.

Transparency International’s analysis also points to a clear link between corruption levels and the quality of democratic governance. Full democracies record an average CPI score of seventy-one (71), compared with an average of thirty-two (32) among non-democratic regimes.

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Many African countries featured in this ranking fall within the latter group, where accountability mechanisms are weak and oversight institutions lack independence. As a result, anti-corruption initiatives are often selective, top-down and vulnerable to political interference or reversal.

While the CPI measures perceptions rather than proven cases of corruption, these perceptions carry significant weight. They shape public confidence, influence investment decisions and affect international partnerships. Consistently low scores signal deep-rooted governance challenges that require sustained political commitment, institutional reform and the protection of civic freedoms to address effectively.

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The table that follows outlines the Top ten (10) most corrupt countries in Africa in 2026, based on CPI 2025 scores.