Not less than 60% of public sector workers were hired due to nepotism, bribery or both between 2020 and 2023.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclosed this in the “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends” report, which was based on a survey conducted with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The report noted that 6 out of 10 successful candidates admitted to using either nepotism, bribery, or both to improve their chances of being recruited.
Specifically, 27% of these candidates admitted to using only bribery, 13% to only nepotism, and 19% to both bribery and nepotism. On the other hand, 40% of the candidates claimed to have secured their positions without resorting to any such means, based on data collected between November 2020 and October 2023.
The report read: “The selection process used to recruit public officials plays a crucial role in shaping the culture of integrity that should drive the civil service as well as ensure that new recruits have the highest standards of professionalism and merit. However, the 2023 survey findings indicate that the public sector recruitment process requires closer monitoring, as almost half (46%) of people who secured a job in the public sector in the last three years prior to the survey admitted that they paid a bribe to facilitate their recruitment – about 1.5 times the share found in the 2019 survey (31%).
“The 2023 survey also found evidence that a considerable number of people recruited into the public sector secured their posts with the help of a friend or relative, many in addition to paying a bribe: of all successful applicants in the last three years prior to the 2023 survey, 32% were helped by friends or relatives. Overall, in the three years prior to the 2023 survey, around 60% of public sector applicants in Nigeria were hired as a result of nepotism, bribery or both – about 1.2 times the share found in the 2019 survey.”
Formal assessments lower bribery rate
The report also noted that the use of bribery is notably lower when the recruitment process includes formal assessments. Specifically, 51% of candidates were not formally assessed, and of these, a significant 53% admitted to using bribery or nepotism to secure their positions.
Conversely, among the 49% of candidates who underwent a written test or oral interview, the use of unethical means such as bribery or nepotism dropped to 41%.
The report read: “The 2023 survey data show that approximately half (49%) of those who secured a position in the public sector in the three years prior to the survey passed a written test and/or oral interview during the recruitment selection process. Importantly, the data suggest that the means of selection had a role in facilitating or preventing the use of illegal practices during recruitment. Among those who underwent an assessment procedure (written test / oral interview), 41% made use of bribery, while the share was as much as 53% among those who were not formally assessed.”
What you should
Naiametrics earlier reported that Nigerian public officials received N721 billion in bribes in 2023. The amount is to about 0.35% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Bribery remains widespread, with an average of 5.1 bribes paid per bribe payer, totaling approximately 87 million bribes nationwide. However, this is a decrease from the 117 million bribes estimated in 2019.
It was also disclosed that bribery is more common in rural areas, with rural residents paying an average of 5.8 bribes compared to 4.5 bribes in urban areas.
The report further noted that over 95% of bribes were paid in monetary form (cash or money transfer) in 2023.