Upset with the failings of the S.A. government these days? Take a breath. At least we're not Somalia. That beleaguered, warn-torn disaster of a nation tops Transparency International's latest list of the world's most corrupt countries. The former Italian colony of 9.8 million people on the Indian Ocean, long racked by civil war, has become a capital for piracy and terrorism with little capacity for any government at all, let alone an honest one. It ranks 1.1 on Transparency's 10-point scale.

Afghanistan(Forbes.com)

And it's hardly alone. Following closely behind are Myanmar and Afghanistan, each ranking 1.4 and each tremendously corrupt in its own way. Myanmar, formerly Burma, is run by a junta of generals who have plundered the nation's timber, minerals and natural gas and led the U.S. Treasury to slap sanctions against more than 100 of its leaders including the wife and son of No. 3 official General Thurs Shew Mann.

Another war-torn nation, Iraq, came in fourth on the corruption index. Squabbling between the Shiite majority and Sunni minority, still unused to being out of power, has delayed the formation of a government but corruption among the country's administrators and judiciary is rampant.

After Iraq come the usual suspects: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Chad. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are former Soviet republics burdened with corrupt governments that look a lot like what they suffered under when the Russians were in charge. In Uzbekistan, according to the U.S. State Dept., the "law does not forbid government officials from acting as 'consultants,' a common method of extracting payment."

In Chad, the scene of vicious infighting over the spoils of a massive oil development project and pipeline, government officials have mastered a one-two approach to corruption, the State Dept. says: "In some cases, tax and customs authorities may facilitate evasion only to return later to pursue the infractions they facilitated."

The central African nation of Burundi is a new arrival to the bottom 10. Largely dependent on coffee exports, the country has had a democratic government since the end of civil war in 2006 but remains challenged in the area of ethics. "Officially, Burundi has a number of laws and regulations prohibiting corrupt practices such as bribery, nepotism, preferential hiring and promotion and embezzlement," the State Dept. says. "In practice, these measures are rarely enforced."

Also new to the list of the 10 most corrupt is Equatorial Guinea, which has vaulted from desperate poverty to incredible wealth--for the leaders, anyway--since the discovery of huge offshore oil deposits in the early 1990s. Riding the wave of wealth has been President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who's dominated the government of this West African nation since he led a coup d'etat in 1979.

Transparency International annually ranks the world's nations on their index of corruption (a scale of 1-10). Northern European countries, with Denmark, Finland and Sweden, top the list with nearly pristine scores of 9.2 or more. South Africa came in 54th place, meaning we're not great, but not that bad, yet. Here is the list of the ten worst countries:

http://businessnews.za.msn.com/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=155203547

The way Nigerians complain about this vice, you'd think they were number 1.

^^^^

You go fear fear, an average Nigeria is a loud mouth hence the reason.

^^^
Are you celebrating because TI says you are not in TopTen?

You don't know much about international politics, shei?

Bubble-bursting time: corruption is more endemic in Nigeria than Chad, Myarmar, Somalia and those Soviet states.

We breathe it and it has eaten deep into every fabric of our national and cultural essence.

I'm really surprised why Nigeria isn't on this list. Politicians are busy scheming how to loot Nigeria dry in the quickest way possible. This has to be a joke.

You agree with the negative about Nigeria, but you call it a joke when there is a positive?

This isn't a positive. It's irrelevant.

its irrelevant because Nigeria is not on the list. but if Nigeria makes it there, than it becomes relevant?

ishit4body:

its irrelevant because Nigeria is not on the list. but if Nigeria makes it there, than it becomes relevant?

True! when imma hit your spot G, girlfriend?

Not surprised Nigeria is not there. You actually have to use some brain work to be corrupt.

You mean the UK is not on the list with all that Ibori loot?

did you just insult nigeria for not making the 10 ten most corrupt list?
then say that they require brainpower to be corrupt?
then wondered why a corrupt nigerians loot didn't qualify the UK to be on the list?
in 1 post,

ola olabiy:

^^^
Are you celebrating because TI says you are not in TopTen?

You don't know much about international politics, shei?

Bubble-bursting time: corruption is more endemic in Nigeria than Chad, Myarmar, Somalia and those Soviet states.

We breathe it and it has eaten deep into every fabric of our national and cultural essence.

So because Nigeria is not there i should be crying? people sha, i just don't blame una, have you been to these countries you listed? do you know how their politics run? do you know what goes on in the country? just because we are Nigerians and knows some of what goes on in Nigeria does not mean others are not worse off than us.

excanny:

I'm really surprised why Nigeria isn't on this list. Politicians are busy scheming how to loot Nigeria dry in the quickest way possible. This has to be a joke.

Russia alone beats you people in corruption, infact i don go too far, Chad alone beats you people in corruption.

ishit4body:

its irrelevant because Nigeria is not on the list. but if Nigeria makes it there, than it becomes relevant?

Abeg help me ask them, when there's no improvement in Nigeria, they whine and cry, when there's a slight change (positive), they rubbish it and call it fake, junkies.

Horray!! CLAP for Naija!!

olaolabiyi said:

re you celebrating because TI says you are not in TopTen?

You don't know much about international politics, shei?

Bubble-bursting time: corruption is more endemic in Nigeria than Chad, Myarmar, Somalia and those Soviet states.

We breathe it and it has eaten deep into every fabric of our national and cultural essence.

Oh please spare us your GARBAGE. Your claims are not backed by the FACTS.

You burst your own bubble Mr: Stop blaming all your failures in life on your PHANTOM ''endemic Nigerian corruption''.



Transparency International's Corruption Index:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/26/corruption-index-2010-transparency-international

As you can see from the above, countries like Venezuela, Ivory Coast, Libya, and Russia are all ranked as MORE CORRUPT than Nigeria.

In the PAST, particularly under military rule, there was more corruption in Nigeria than those places. But in recent years, corruption has fallen SIGNIFICANTLY in Nigeria, and if some people are loathe to accept that, too bad, those are just the facts!!!

Blazay said:

Not surprised Nigeria is not there. You actually have to use some brain work to be corrupt.

You really are a complete self-loathing failure, and a nasty piece of work aren't you?

If Nigeria is no 1 on the list, it would be because they are 'the most corrupt and evil people on earth'.

If they are not on the list, it would be because they 'don't have the brains to be the most corrupt'.

So we're in effect, damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Why don't you just go hang yourself since you despise yourself and your people so much?

You actually have no real reason to exist because you're totally worthless.

ROSSIKE:

olaolabiyi said:

Oh please spare us your GARBAGE. Your claims are not backed by the FACTS.

You burst your own bubble Mr: Stop blaming all your failures in life on your PHANTOM ''endemic Nigerian corruption''.



Transparency International's Corruption Index:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/26/corruption-index-2010-transparency-international

As you can see from the above, countries like Venezuela, Ivory Coast, Libya, and Russia are all ranked as MORE CORRUPT than Nigeria.

In the PAST, particularly under military rule, there was more corruption in Nigeria than those places. But in recent years, corruption has fallen SIGNIFICANTLY in Nigeria, and if some people are loathe to accept that, too bad, those are just the facts!!!

You are a product of an ill-conceived copulation by your parents. The fact that your mum did not abort you is a disservice to humanity and she should apologise - unreservedly. Your foetus should have been flushed out. The foetus that resulted in your demented existence should have been aborted. You are an ill-conceived idea. I blame your mum.
I am sorry.

olawhatever said:

You are a product of an ill-conceived copulation by your parents. The fact that your mum did not abort you is a disservice to humanity and she should apologise - unreservedly. Your foetus should have been flushed out. The foetus that resulted in your demented existence should have been aborted. You are an ill-conceived idea. I blame your mum.
I am sorry.

Don't expect me (or us) to fall in line with your degenerate, miserable persona.

If I'd been aborted, who would have been here to drum some sense into your hollow, empty skull?

You should be thanking your lucky stars.

ROSSIKE:

olawhatever said:

Don't expect me (or us) to fall in line with your degenerate, miserable persona.

If I'd been aborted, who would have been here to drum some sense into your hollow, empty skull?

You should be thanking your lucky stars.

I think Nigeria bribed Forbes to be removed from the list 

ROSSIKE:

olawhatever said:

Don't expect me (or us) to fall in line with your degenerate, miserable persona.

If I'd been aborted, who would have been here to drum some sense into your hollow, empty skull?

You should be thanking your lucky stars.

You are an i.diot of immeasurable proportion. A jewel among the stupid, the demented and the brainless.

oyinda.:

I think Nigeria bribed Forbes to be removed from the list 

lmfao! that is so messed up. come on lol. there are FAR more corrupt countries than Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya are definitely two examples.

oyinda.:

I think Nigeria bribed Forbes to be removed from the list 

Maybe it's because people like you have left the country, that's why we were removed from the top list of corrupt countries

honeric01:

Maybe it's because people like you have left the country, that's why we were removed from the top list of corrupt countries

You are right! She is the problem with Nigeria. True story, she bribed her way outta Nigeria.

MzDarkSkin:

lmfao! that is so messed up. come on lol. there are FAR more corrupt countries than Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya are definitely two examples.

i meant it to be a sarcastic comment/joke. lol

honeric01:

Maybe it's because people like you have left the country, that's why we were removed from the top list of corrupt countries

lol u r not serious 

oyinda.:


lol u r not serious 

How are you doing out there?

While it is good news that we are gradually progressing in the anti-corruption crusade, we must not cease complaining against corruption. Any sort of complacency would set us back by decades. Let us strive for a nation that corruption will not register up to 2.0

go and put them deere by urself u hear