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News release

Angolans say corruption has increased and citizens risk retaliation if they report it, new Afrobarometer study shows

18 Oct 2024 Angola
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News release
Key findings
  • A majority (54%) of Angolans say corruption in the country increased “somewhat” or “a lot” during the year preceding the survey, a remarkable 21-percentage-point increase compared to 2019 (Figure 1).
  • More than six in 10 Angolans (63%) believe that ordinary people risk retaliation or other negative consequences if they report corruption, a 9-percentage-point increase compared to 2019 (Figure 2).
  • More than half (57%) of citizens support the media’s watchdog role over government, agreeing that it “should constantly investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption.” Only one-quarter (25%) instead believe that too much negative reporting only harms the country (Figure 3).
  • Nearly seven in 10 Angolans (68%) say the government is doing “fairly badly” or “very badly” on fighting corruption in government, a 14-percentage-point increase compared to 2019 (Figure 4). o This perception is most pronounced among urban residents (74%), men (70%), and residents of Luanda province (76%).
  • Among citizens who sought selected public services during the previous year, more than half (56%) report that they had to pay a bribe to get police assistance, while about half (48%) say they had to pay a bribe to get a government document (Figure 5).

A majority of Angolans say corruption in the country is getting worse, a clear shift in  public perceptions of the problem, a new Afrobarometer survey indicates.  

Most citizens say ordinary people risk retaliation if they speak out against corruption. A  majority want the media to act as a watchdog over government by constantly  investigating and reporting on government mistakes and corruption. 

Many respondents say they had to pay bribes to obtain public services, and most  Angolans are dissatisfied with the government’s efforts on fighting graft in the country.