The latest 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) published by Transparency International (TI), which shows that corruption levels have not decreased in Nigeria in the previous year, has been criticized by the Nigerian government.
Nigeria maintained its 24 out of 100 points according to the updated 2022 CPI, which was announced on Tuesday. However, Nigeria moved up four spots from its previous year’s position of 154th to 150th out of the 180 countries evaluated, despite the fact that the points scored did not improve.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, expressed dissatisfaction with the evaluation on Wednesday, saying that the country is not battling corruption to win favor with Transparency International or to receive a high corruption ranking from the organization.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is battling corruption because, according to the minister who addressed at the conclusion of the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, “there won’t be any growth in terms of either the economy or even political” if it isn’t.
Mr. Mohammed reiterated the administration’s response to the prior 2021 CPI, which was published in January of last year, and claimed TI was ignorant of the administration’s efforts to combat corruption.
“Our viewpoint remains the same,” he declared in reference to Nigeria’s Transparency International ranking. We are not fighting corruption because we want to impress Transparency International or any organization whatsover”, he said.
“We’re fighting corruption because we believe if we do not fight corruption, there’ll be no growth either in terms of the economy or even politically.
“Therefore, what we do and what we’re putting in place to fight corruption is not because we want to be rated by anybody. If, for instance, what we’re doing catches the attention of Transparency International and improves and gives us better marks, so we’ll go.”
“However, I can assure you that we do not know what template TI is using. Whatever template they’re using is clearly oblivious of what this administration is doing, to fight corruption.”