Corrupção: O cancro que devemos curar-nos a nós próprios

Saturday 15th March, 2025

By Inafrika reporter

If there’s one thing holding Africa back as much as external factors, it is corruption – the bribes, embezzlement, and patronage that siphon billions and corrode public trust. According to Transparency International, Sub-Saharan Africa again scored lowest globally on the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2024, averaging just 33/100​

We can blame colonial legacy or international enablers (tax havens, multinational companies paying off officials) – and indeed those are factors – but ultimately, corruption is a cancer we Africans must cure ourselves. There are promising signs: countries like Botswana, Seychelles, Cape Verde consistently rank relatively higher and show that cleaner governance is achievable in Africa. In Rwanda, a strong stance on graft has been key to its development successes (though critics say it comes with authoritarianism). Technology offers new tools: digitizing government services reduces opportunities for petty graft; in Kenya, e-procurement systems have cut bribery in budgeting​

Civil society and media, where free, play a vital role in exposing misconduct – see investigative journalists in South Africa unveiling state capture, which led to public inquiries (Zondo Commission) and some reforms. But top-level impunity remains a challenge; when was the last time an African “big man” went to jail purely for corruption? Nearly never, except in democratic transitions or foreign courts. African Union declared 2018 the year of anti-corruption – rhetorical, perhaps, but it signaled recognition.

Ultimately, beating corruption requires leadership committed to rule of law and citizens who refuse to normalize graft. It means teaching the next generation that success comes from innovation and hard work, not connections and kickbacks. No foreign aid or investment can substitute for the funds lost to corruption – Africa loses an estimated $88.6 billion annually to illicit financial flows​ Imagine that invested in education or healthcare. The fight is ours to win or lose, and it’s high time we choose to win.