Somalia has once again been identified as one of the world's most corrupt countries, according to the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International. The nation scored a dismal 9 out of 100, placing it at the very bottom of the global rankings. This annual index meticulously assesses the perceived levels of public-sector corruption across 182 countries and territories, utilizing a scale where zero signifies a highly corrupt environment and 100 indicates a very clean one. Somalia's consistently low score highlights persistent governance challenges and significant weaknesses in public-sector accountability within the Horn of Africa nation.

For 2025, Somalia shared the unenviable position of having the lowest score with South Sudan, as reported by the Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog. Beyond individual country scores, Transparency International's report also revealed a concerning global trend: the average score fell to 42, marking the lowest level in over a decade. Alarmingly, more than two-thirds of the countries evaluated scored below 50, which the organization described as a reflection of "widespread and entrenched corruption" spanning various regions worldwide. The organization's 2025 CPI report emphatically stated that "Corruption remains a critical threat to stability, development and democracy," further cautioning that a decline in accountability and the shrinking of civic space are actively undermining global anti-corruption initiatives.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the lowest-scoring region overall, with numerous countries grappling with a combination of weak institutions, political instability, and limited enforcement of existing anti-corruption laws. Somalia's perennial ranking at or near the bottom of the CPI underscores long-standing concerns regarding transparency in its public financial management, the scarcity of effective oversight institutions, and the fragility of its governance structures. Experts and analysts consistently point out that a low CPI score carries severe consequences, potentially deterring foreign investment, eroding donor confidence, and significantly diminishing public trust in state institutions.

The latest findings cast renewed scrutiny on Somalia's deep-seated systemic graft within its state institutions. This ranking emerges amidst continuous allegations of widespread misuse of public resources, a pronounced lack of transparency in government spending, and the weak enforcement of crucial accountability mechanisms. These issues collectively highlight the persistent structural challenges that impede Somalia's efforts in combating corruption effectively. It is important to note that the CPI itself is compiled from data sourced from 13 external entities, including reputable organizations like the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, and measures perceptions of corruption rather than direct evidence of specific wrongdoing.