60% of public sector workers were hired because of nepotism and bribery – NBS report

Between 2020 and 2023, at least 60% of public sector workers were hired as a result of nepotism, bribery or both.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed this in the report “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends”, which is based on a study conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The report noted that six out of 10 selected candidates admitted to using nepotism, bribery or both to increase their chances of recruitment.

Specifically, 27% of these candidates admitted to using bribery only, 13% to using nepotism only, and 19% to using both bribery and nepotism. On the other hand, 40% of candidates claimed to have secured their positions without resorting to such means, based on data collected between November 2020 and October 2023.

The report stated: “The selection process used to recruit public servants plays a key role in shaping the culture of integrity that should drive the civil service, as well as ensuring that new recruits have the highest standards of professionalism and merit. However, the 2023 survey results indicate that the public sector recruitment process needs to be monitored more closely, as almost half (46%) of those who obtained a public sector job in the three years prior to the survey admitted to paying a bribe to facilitate their recruitment – ​​around 1.5 times more than the proportion recorded in the 2019 survey (31%).

“The 2023 study also found evidence that a significant number of people recruited into the public sector obtained their positions with the help of a friend or relative, many of them by paying a bribe: of all successful candidates in the three years prior to the 2023 study, 32% received help from friends or relatives. Overall, in the three years prior to the 2023 study, about 60% of public sector candidates in Nigeria were hired as a result of nepotism, bribery or both – about 1.2 times higher than the percentage recorded in the 2019 study.”

Formal assessments lower bribery rates

The report also noted that the use of bribes is noticeably lower when the recruitment process includes formal assessments. Specifically, 51% of candidates were not formally assessed, and of those, a significant 53% admitted to using bribes or nepotism to secure their positions.

Meanwhile, among the 49% of candidates who took part in a written test or interview, the percentage of those using unethical methods, such as bribery or nepotism, dropped to 41%.

The report stated: “The 2023 survey data shows that around half (49%) of those who obtained a public sector position in the three years prior to the survey passed a written test and/or an oral interview during the recruitment process. Importantly, the data suggests that the selection process had an impact on facilitating or preventing the use of illegal recruitment practices. Of those who had an assessment process (written test/oral interview), 41% had used bribery, compared with 53% of those who had not been formally assessed.”

What should you

Naiametrics had earlier reported that Nigerian public officials received bribes worth a total of N721 billion in 2023. This amount is about 0.35% of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Bribery remains widespread, with an average of 5.1 bribes per bribe payer, totaling about 87 million bribes nationwide. However, this is down from an estimated 117 million bribes in 2019.

It also revealed 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 also indicated that in 2023, over 95% of bribes were paid in monetary form (cash or money transfer).