“Numbers do not lie, but they can be manipulated to hide the truth.” – Anonymous
Africa grapples with pervasive corruption, a malady where powerful officials siphon state resources for personal gain. This grand corruption involves astronomical sums that divert public funds meant for welfare into the coffers of a privileged few. The alleged embezzlement of over 300 billion Leones by Sierra Leone’s Nuclear Safety and Road Protection Authority (NSRA) exemplifies the persistence of grand corruption.
In this toxic environment, some media organisations, like the noncompliant Africanist Press, have become more vocal, exposing corruption through financial audits and whistleblower testimonies. Despite this, scepticism persists regarding statistics that suggest a decline in corruption across the continent.
Consider Sierra Leone’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score for 2023: 35 out of 100, a slight improvement from the previous year. The country now ranks 108th out of 180 globally, climbing 22 positions since 2017. These figures paint a picture of progress, but do they truly capture the reality? Grand corruption, by its nature, often eludes public scrutiny.
Corruption statistics in Africa are often unreliable, due to methodological flaws, political manipulation, and cultural bias. For example, the CPI mainly measures public perceptions, which may not accurately reflect real corruption levels. Opinion-based surveys are also susceptible to bias, influenced by media narratives and political pressure. Furthermore, in some African societies, corrupt practices are normalised or overlooked, further distorting the data.
The case of former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma illustrates this irony. Despite being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for alleged financial misconduct during his Presidency (2007–2018), he was awarded the ‘Distinguished African Icon of Leadership’ by the Africa Bar Association in 2023. Such contradictions highlight the disconnection between perception-based measures and ground realities.
International organisations emphasise the need for transparency and accurate data. The 2019 African Governance Report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa underscores a critical issue: many African countries suffer from weak institutional frameworks, resulting in compromised and unreliable corruption data. Inadequate data collection, lack of transparency, and limited governmental capacity often prevent these statistics from capturing the full extent of corruption.
Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also faces criticism for selective enforcement of anti-corruption laws. Although mandated to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials, political interference often hampers its efforts. Critics argue that the commission targets opposition figures, while ignoring or resolving allegations against government officials, raising concerns about its impartiality.
The suspension of Sierra Leonean Members of Parliament, Hon. Hindolo Moiwo Gevao and Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh in 2020, after they raised concerns about corruption in Parliament, illustrates a troubling trend of suppressing whistleblowers. Such actions erode public trust in anti-corruption measures and highlight how political dynamics can undermine institutions like the ACC.
A 2009 study by American economist, Benjamin Olken in Indonesia, highlighted the gap between perceived and actual corruption levels. Local villagers were unaware of the extent of corruption in road projects until forensic audits revealed the true figures. This discrepancy shows the limitations of relying solely on perception-based measures and emphasises the need for evidence-based approaches.
To genuinely combat corruption, African nations, especially Sierra Leone, must adopt evidence-based approaches, such as using financial records, audit reports, and whistleblower testimonies. These methods provide a more accurate and objective assessment of corruption levels. By implementing these strategies, countries can build more robust and credible anti-corruption frameworks. Without such measures, Africa’s anti-corruption rhetoric remains a lofty ideal– proclaimed with bell-sounding intensity but lacking substance, crafted more for public appeal than reflecting genuine progress.