NBS confirms govt officials collected bribe in a system that runs on extortion
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Government officials, federal, state, council, and others collected a total N721 billion in bribes to do their jobs in 2023, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), but the amount could be far higher as the data does not capture private or informal sector and individual bribes in a country whose national disease is financial corruption.
The NBS report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends”, said the N721 billion amounted to about 0.35 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year.
The report, based on a survey the NBS conducted along with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, disclosed the average cash bribe received by public office holders in 2023 was N8,284, up on N5,754 in 2019.
“While the nominal average cash bribe size increased since 2019 (from NGN 5,754), this does not account for inflation. The inflation-adjusted average cash bribe in 2023 was 29 per cent smaller than in 2019 in terms of what could be bought with the money,” it explained.
“Overall, it is estimated that a total of roughly NGN 721 billion (US$1.26 billion) was paid in cash bribes to public officials in Nigeria in 2023, corresponding to 0.35 per cent of the entire Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria.”
Nigeria conducted a general election in 2023 in which activists and opposition parties alleged electoral officials and security agencies collected bribes to rig results.
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