The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has revealed that Nigerian public officials collected an estimated N721 billion in cash bribes in 2023.
The UN in a new report titled, ‘‘Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends’’, which was published on Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the amount paid as bribes was equivalent to 0.35% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The report estimated that approximately N721 billion ($1.26 billion) was paid in cash bribes to public officials in Nigeria in 2023.
It further highlighted that the average cash bribe paid was N8,284, adding that the nominal average cash bribe size has increased from N5,754 in 2019 — this figure does not account for inflation.
The report noted that when adjusted for inflation, the average cash bribe in 2023 was actually 29 percebt smaller than in 2019 in terms of purchasing power.
It showed that cash remained king among bribe takers and givers as more than 95 per cent of all bribes paid in 2023 were paid in monetary form (cash or money transfer).
However, in certain instances, food and drink (16 per cent), an animal (8 per cent), exchange for other services (7 per cent) or valuables (4 per cent) also served as a bribe.
The report found that in 2023, 5.1 bribes were paid on average by each bribe payer representing a modest and statistically insignificant decrease in the frequency of bribe-paying from 2019, when on average 5.4 bribes were paid by each bribe payer.
It stated: “It is estimated that some 87 million bribes were paid in 2023 (compared with 117 million estimated in 2019) – the equivalent of an average of 0.8 bribes per adult.
“The frequency of bribery is, on average, higher in rural areas than in urban areas. In 2023, bribe-payers living in urban areas paid on average 4.5 bribes, while those living in rural areas paid on average 5.8 bribes.”
The report discovered that bribery is becoming less accepted in Nigeria as 70 per cent of Nigerians who were asked to pay a bribe in 2023, refused to do so on at least one occasion.
The report said that the bribery refusal rate was found to be highest in the North-West (at 76 per cent), although all zones recorded refusal rates above 60 per cent.
Also, the portion of Nigerians who think that bribery requests are acceptable to fast-track administrative procedures decreased from 29 per cent in 2019 to 23 per cent in 2023.
It said: “Fewer citizens report suffering negative consequences after refusing bribe requests in 2023 (38 per cent) compared with 2019 (49 per cent). This suggests that Nigerians feel increasingly empowered to confront corrupt officials without fear of repercussions.”