Zimbabwe has been ranked the most corrupt country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for 2024, according to the latest Transparency International data.
This marks the country’s worst performance since 2015 when it recorded the same score, the year the missing US$15 billion in diamond revenues was revealed, reported <a href="https://equityaxis.net/post/18277/2025/2/zimbabwe-crowned-highest-corruption-perception-index-in-sadc-for-2024-among-top-10-in-africa">Equity Axis</a>.
In Africa, Zimbabwe ranks among the top 10 most corrupt nations, alongside war-torn countries like Sudan, Somalia, and Libya. The continent also accounted for the majority of the bottom 20 most corrupt nations globally.
Zimbabwe’s score has dropped to 21, a decline of 3 points from last year, placing it 158th out of 180 countries.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures the perceived level of corruption in a country’s public sector, on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
The CPI takes into account factors like bribery, the diversion of public funds, officials using their positions for personal gain, excessive red tape, and nepotism.
It also evaluates whether laws require public officials to disclose their finances, offer legal protection for whistleblowers, and ensure public access to government information.
Zimbabwe’s performance has worsened since its 2015 low point, with its score improving slightly in subsequent years. The country reached its best performance in 2023 with a score of 24 but has since slipped back.
The CPI, the most widely used global corruption ranking, is based on at least three data sources from 13 different corruption surveys and assessments. These sources include institutions such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.
Denmark has topped the CPI for the seventh consecutive year, with scores of 90, followed by Finland and Singapore with 88 and 84, respectively.
New Zealand, with a score of 83, remained in the top 10 despite falling out of the top three for the first time since 2012.
In contrast, countries with ongoing conflict, restricted freedoms, and weak democratic institutions dominate the bottom of the CPI.
South Sudan, Somalia, and Venezuela occupy the last three positions, with Syria, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Yemen, Nicaragua, Sudan, and North Korea rounding out the lowest scorers.

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Zimbabwe is the most corrupt country in the Southern African Development Community for 2024, coming in 158th out of 180 countries. The Corruption Perceptions Index measures corruption in the public sector, with Zimbabwe's score dropping to 21. Factors like bribery and nepotism are considered in the rankings. Countries like Denmark and New Zealand have the least corruption, while war-torn countries like South Sudan and Somalia are among the most corrupt. The CPI is based on data from institutions like the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

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