Police, MDAs most corrupt institutions in Nigeria – NOIPolls

The Nigeria police and ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government have emerged as the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria, according to a recent survey by NOIPolls, a leading country-specific polling services firm in the West African region.

According to the polls, 85 percent of adult Nigerians (about 8 in 10) believe that corruption is prevalent to a high extent in the country.

Within the public sector, MDAs ranked top as the most corrupt as indicated by up to 25 percent of surveyed respondents. Following closely is the Nigerian police indicated by 22 percent of respondents.

According to the polls, security agencies are the third most corrupt, with 8 percent of surveyed respondents, and the military with 4 percent, which came in as the fourth.

These are the institutions where Nigerians claim to have experienced the most challenges in relation to corruption.

In the private sector, private businesses lead the way as the most corrupt, with the banks, power utilities and petrol (filling) stations trailing. Educational institutions were also identified to be amongst the most corrupt.

Amongst Nigerians in the South South region accounting for around 26 percent of the respondents, politicians and political parties were identified as the most corrupt, whereas the armed forces/security agencies led the way in the North East region (28 percent) of the country.

Nigerians in the North West (38 percent) and South West (36 percent) regions were identified as more likely to pay N2,000 bribe to go through when stopped by law enforcement officers.

“We can say with 95 percent confidence that the results obtained are statistically precise with a range of plus or minus 3”, said NOIPolls, while explaining the statistical significance of the results.

Weak public institutions, poverty and scramble for resources remain key causes of corruption in Nigeria.

Analysts are clamouring for the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to visit past corrupt practices, stressing that it would help strengthen public institutions and promote cleanliness in politics and management of public resources.

Nigeria recorded slight improvement in the Transparency International’s ‘Corruption Perception Index 2014’ as the country was ranked 136th out of 175 countries surveyed. Nigeria is also the 3rd most corrupt in West Africa behind Guinea and Guinea Bissau.

This latest ranking has been Nigeria’s best on the Transparency International’s corruption perception index (CPI) under President Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria was ranked 144th in 2013, 139th in 2012 and 143rd in 2011.