The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) recently released by Transparency International reveals a troubling situation for Mali.
In the latest global assessment published on February 12, 2025, Mali occupies the 136th position out of 180 nations. With a stagnant score of 28 out of 100, the country continues to struggle with systemic integrity issues that hamper its economic growth and weaken state authority.
According to the findings, the nation is suffering from a gradual decay of its regulatory and oversight bodies. The report highlights that the process for awarding public contracts is significantly lacking in transparency, while the administration of national finances remains largely secretive, fostering a climate of widespread suspicion.
Impact on public services and citizen trust
The reach of corruption extends deep into the public administration. Accessing fundamental services—including the legal system, healthcare, and education—is frequently obstructed by demands for bribes or acts of favoritism. This reality, supported by data from the Office central de lutte contre l’enrichissement illicite (OCLEI) and the Bureau du Vérificateur Général, has intensified public disillusionment and reinforced a sense of impunity for the ruling classes.
Mali is not the only country in West Africa facing these hurdles. The regional landscape is marked by governance deficits and financial opacity. For example, Nigeria, the region’s largest economy, holds a score of 25 due to significant embezzlement within its petroleum sector. Burkina Faso, also navigating a transition period, scored 30, remaining well below the critical 50-point threshold. In contrast, Ghana maintains a relatively stronger position with a score of 43, despite a slight downward trend.
Sub-Saharan Africa and the risk to climate funding
With a regional average of just 32, Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the most affected areas globally. Over two-thirds of the countries in this region score below 50, indicating a severe lack of effective anti-corruption mechanisms. Transparency International has raised concerns regarding the potential diversion of climate aid. Without rigorous monitoring, the international funds meant to help Africa adapt to environmental changes may never reach the vulnerable populations they are intended for.
The lowest scores in the region are found in Somalia (11), South Sudan (13), and the Central African Republic (19), where prolonged instability has led to the total breakdown of state institutions.
Global leaders in transparency
On a global scale, Nordic countries continue to set the standard for clean governance. Denmark leads the world with a score of 90, followed closely by Finland (88) and Norway (87). Other nations such as Germany (79) and Canada (75) also demonstrate high levels of public integrity, despite facing their own occasional internal debates.
Conversely, the bottom of the 2024 ranking is occupied by states in deep crisis, where the lack of stable leadership allows corruption to flourish unchecked. These include:
- Somalia (11)
- South Sudan (13)
- Syria (14)
- Venezuela (14)
- Yemen (16)
The report concludes that for Mali to exit this cycle of instability, it must prioritize the independence of its judiciary, strengthen its legal frameworks, and provide better safeguards for whistleblowers. Without these structural changes, corruption will continue to erode the foundation of the state and distance the government from its citizens.
