Jamesty
Corruption is a dangerous force that destroys trust, slows down progress, and keeps inequality going. It is still a big problem all over the world. The most recent information from Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which came out in February 2025, shows that this battle is being lost the most in 2025. The CPI gives scores from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) to 180 countries and territories based on how corrupt they think their public sector is. Many countries are working hard to be more open and accountable, but some are still stuck at the bottom, which shows that there are problems with the system that are holding them back and hurting their people. Transparency International doesn’t give a clear “Top 10 Most Corrupt Countries” list in the exact order, but the 2024 CPI data shows that some countries always score the lowest, which means that corruption is deeply rooted in those countries. Based on the information we have, the countries that people think have the most corrupt public sectors in 2024 (and probably still do in 2025) are:
List Of Top 10 Most Corrupt Countries In The World 2025
1. India
India, the world’s largest democracy, still has to deal with the idea that it is corrupt. The country has made progress in going digital and making some policy changes to be more open, but there are still problems. People often say that things like red tape, political funding, and the enforcement of anti-corruption laws are to blame for these feelings. Corruption in smaller public services and big infrastructure projects can make life harder for people and make it harder to do business. The government’s efforts to fight corruption, such as demonetization and stricter enforcement, have had mixed results. People are still worried about how accountable the government is for high-level corruption cases.
2. China
China’s leaders have been known for their fight against corruption in recent years, with large anti-corruption campaigns leading to the prosecution of many officials. Even with these well-known efforts, people still think there is a lot of corruption in the public sector. People often say that the centralized nature of power, the lack of independent oversight, and the close ties between state-owned businesses and political elites are systemic weaknesses. There are still worries about the selective nature of prosecutions and the structural problems that allow corruption to happen, even though the campaigns have clearly sent a strong message. Because the country is growing economically and has a lot of power in the world, people’s views on corruption in its huge public sector have far-reaching effects.
3. United States
Even though the US ranks much higher than many other countries on the CPI, people are still worried about corruption. People’s views often center on issues like lobbying, campaign finance, and how money affects politics. People and experts think this way because of the “revolving door” between government jobs and private sector jobs, as well as cases of unethical behavior and conflicts of interest. Even though its institutions of oversight and a relatively free press usually keep things in check, the size of the economy and political activity means that even small cases of corruption can have big effects.
4. Indonesia
Indonesia has made some progress in its fight against corruption, especially by setting up the independent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). But the country still has a lot of problems to deal with. People often think that corruption is a problem with the police, the courts, and public services. Reports of bribery, illegal enrichment, and patronage networks are still coming in. The KPK has a strong mandate, but political pressure has sometimes made it less independent and less effective. Reforms are still going on to make governance and transparency better, but the huge archipelago nation with its complicated bureaucracy has a long way to go before people see it as better.
5. Pakistan
Pakistan is always on the list of countries that people think have a lot of corruption. People think this way because of political instability, a weak rule of law, and a lack of accountability in some government departments. People often think that corruption is a problem in public procurement, tax administration, and land management. Even though there have been calls for change and some anti-corruption efforts, systemic problems continue to exist, which makes it hard for the country to improve its standing. The problem gets worse because people rely on informal networks and there aren’t clear processes. This hurts foreign investment and public trust.
6. Nigeria
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and its biggest economy, is still fighting deeply held beliefs about corruption. Even though different governments have tried to fight corruption, it is still very hard. People often think about public procurement, the oil and gas industry, and the courts. People often talk about problems like grand corruption, illegal money transfers, and the fact that high-level officials don’t get punished for their crimes. Civil society organizations do a lot of work to promote good governance and development, but corruption is a big problem that makes it hard for these things to happen.
7. Brazil
Brazil has been through a lot of trouble lately, with big corruption scandals like the “Lava Jato” (Car Wash) operation, which revealed a lot of illegal activities involving politicians and businesses. These investigations made some people responsible, but they also showed how bad the problem really is. Political donations, state-owned businesses, and infrastructure projects are all things that people in Brazil think are corrupt. Even though the government is trying to make anti-corruption institutions and laws stronger, the country still has a culture of impunity and powerful vested interests.
8. Bangladesh
Bangladesh has a hard time fighting corruption because its score on the CPI stays low. Problems with public service delivery, procurement, and a lack of accountability in some state institutions are what most people think about. The problem is made worse by political influence, weak enforcement of laws, and a lack of openness in general. The government has said it is committed to fighting corruption, but many people believe that real reforms and effective implementation of anti-corruption measures are lacking. This affects the country’s development and its ability to attract and keep foreign investment.
9. Russia
People still think that Russia is very corrupt. There are a lot of important reasons, such as the concentration of power, the lack of checks and balances, and the close ties between political and economic elites. People often think that corruption is common in areas like public procurement, state contracts, and resource extraction. Even though the government talks a lot about fighting corruption, people often think that independent oversight and accountability systems are weak or broken. The lack of freedom of the press and civil society space makes it even harder to expose and fight corruption.
10. Ethiopia
There have been some ups and downs in how Ethiopians see corruption. The country has made changes in the last few years to improve governance and attract investment, but people still think there is corruption. Problems with public procurement, land administration, and bureaucratic inefficiencies often cause problems. Corruption can happen when there are political and social changes going on and when the government has been centralized in the past. Ethiopia needs to work on making its institutions stronger and more open in order to improve its image with the public and with people from other countries.
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