Transparency International published its 2021 report on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. The document shows that levels of corruption remain at a standstill around the world, with 86% of countries having made little or no progress over the past of the last ten years. In sub-Saharan Africa, 44 of the 49 countries assessed on the index still score below 50.

With an average score of 33 out of 100, sub-Saharan Africa shows no significant improvement on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2021. Gains made by a handful of countries are overshadowed by declining or stagnating others and the region's overall poor performance, as 44 of the 49 countries assessed on the index still score below 50. According to the report, to keep corruption out of public view, governments in the region have limited information and cracked down on independent voices denouncing abuses of power.

In the rankings, Seychelles (IPC score: 70) tops the 2021 index, while Cabo Verde (58) and Botswana (55) are distant second. For countries at the bottom of the index, such as Equatorial Guinea (17), Somalia (13) and South Sudan (11), the exit from endemic corruption remains disheartening.