Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – Transparency International has published the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) today, ranking 182 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public-sector corruption. The annual index, widely cited as the global benchmark on governance integrity, uses a scale from highly corrupt to very clean and is based on expert assessments and business surveys.
After peaking at 38 in 2024, The Gambia’s score slightly declined with a corresponding drop in global rank from 96th to 99th.
In the 2025 CPI, The Gambia scored 37, placing it 99th globally for perceived public-sector corruption. This ranking signals persistent challenges in governance and transparency, with the country remaining in the lower half of the global standings.
The results also show that many nations struggle with corruption: the global average score dropped to 42, and a majority of countries score below 50, indicating widespread public-sector integrity issues.
Transparency International’s analysis highlights that weak democratic checks, constrained civic space, and limited accountability mechanisms have contributed to stagnation or deterioration in anti-corruption performance in many regions.
While the CPI does not assign an express label of “corrupt” or “clean,” experts interpret a score below 50 as reflective of significant perceived control-of-corruption weaknesses in public institutions and processes.
For The Gambia, the 2025 score reflects ongoing governance concerns that civil society groups, private-sector actors, and international partners have frequently underscored.
Regional context shows that Corruption Perceptions Index scores vary widely across Sub-Saharan Africa, with some countries scoring above the regional average and others performing poorly.
The Gambia’s score situates it near many of its peers facing similar structural challenges, such as limited oversight and enforcement capacity.
Transparency International’s CPI remains a key tool for policymakers, watchdogs, and investors assessing public-sector integrity worldwide.
The 2025 report reinforces calls for strengthened anti-corruption frameworks, improved transparency in public finance, and greater protections for free media and civil society as part of broad governance reform efforts.
