Namibia recorded its worst score on record in the latest corruption perceptions index (CPI) 2025, implying that perceptions of corruption have worsened – notably so, as the score dropped by three points to 46/100, the largest single-year decline in Namibia’s history.
The CPI was first introduced in 2012.
As a result, Namibia’s rank fell by six places to 65th globally.
In Africa, Namibia ranks as the sixth least corrupt country by perceived corruption (joint sixth with Senegal), behind Seychelles, Cape Verde, Botswana, Rwanda and Mauritius. Botswana and Rwanda each improved by one index point.
Namibia recorded the joint-second largest decline in 2025, with its three-point drop matching that of Mauritius and Niger. Three countries fell by four points, namely Seychelles, Eswatini and Mozambique.
Seychelles remains the region’s top performer with a score of 68/100, but its decline was the joint-largest, amid growing concerns about the strength of anti-corruption measures following delays in investigating and prosecuting a case involving the alleged money laundering of US$50 million (about N$793 million).
The average score in sub-Saharan Africa was 32/100 in 2025.
Transparency International is raising concerns that corruption in the management of public funds reflects a lack of political integrity among leaders, hinders people’s access to key services and continues to affect the everyday life of citizens.
According to the latest Afrobarometer survey conducted in 2024, over half of Namibians believe corruption has “increased a lot” over the 12 months preceding the survey.
Only 24% believe corruption has “stayed the same”, while 9% believe it has “decreased somewhat” or “decreased a lot”. Moreover, fewer than a quarter of respondents believe the government is doing well in fighting corruption, with confidence at its lowest level since the Afrobarometer series began in 1999.
Taken together, the CPI decline and the Afrobarometer results show there is a clear deterioration in perceived integrity and confidence in enforcement. As perception-based measures, they do not prove changes in the underlying incidence of corruption, but they do signal a weakening trust environment that can affect compliance, investment sentiment and the willingness to engage with public institutions.
– Tannan Groenewald is the head of data & analytics at Cirrus
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