Survey Reveals Most Ethiopians Believe Corruption Has Worsened

By Staff Writer

(Nairobi, Kenya) — Over 60 percent of Ethiopians consider corruption to be a fundamental and escalating problem in the country, with a majority believing systemic graft is significantly worse today than it was five years ago, according to a landmark study commissioned by the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The findings were detailed in the 70-page Fourth National Corruption Perception Survey, a comprehensive report published by the Commission to evaluate public sentiment across public institutions, measure anti-corruption awareness, and identify institutional vulnerabilities.

The nationwide survey covered all regional states—with the exception of the Gambella region—as well as the Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa city administrations. The study targeted 2,195 respondents from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, achieving a 91.4 percent response rate.

Citizens identified several core government agencies and public service providers as heavily affected by corrupt practices. Institutions cited as having the highest levels of graft include:

• Land Administration & Urban Development: Land registration, land development, and municipal housing administration bureaus.
• Revenue & Customs Authorities: Inland revenue offices, Customs Commission branches, and border trade posts.
• Infrastructure & Public Utilities: Transport offices, construction permitting and building supervision authorities, and the Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU).
• Trade & Commerce Bureaus: Commercial licensing agencies and trade inspection offices.

Respondents noted that paying informal fees or bribes to access basic public services has become widely normalized across government service windows.

Participants pointed to a combination of economic pressures, administrative decay, and weak enforcement mechanisms as the primary drivers of rampant graft. Key factors cited include:

• Economic Drivers: Low civil service salaries, the escalating cost of living, widespread poverty, and a growing desire for rapid enrichment.
• Administrative Flaws: Delays in service delivery, complex bureaucratic red tape, and weak enforcement of the rule of law.
• Moral Decay: A declining culture of public ethics and civic integrity.

The study further highlighted major barriers preventing ordinary citizens from reporting corrupt acts. Witnesses cited lengthy reporting procedures, a lack of institutional whistleblower protections, fear of reprisal, and inadequate knowledge of reporting channels as primary reasons for staying silent.

Media professionals consulted during the study reported severe structural challenges when attempting to expose public corruption. Journalists identified political pressure, official information restrictions, and physical threats as major obstacles preventing in-depth investigative reporting on high-level graft.

The report emphasized the urgent need to afford journalists comprehensive legal protections and access to public documents, enabling independent media to act as an effective oversight mechanism.

The publication of the survey comes amid heightened government scrutiny over systemic embezzlement. Last week, the Government Communication Service announced the arrest of several senior officials—including the Deputy Commissioner of the Customs Commission—on suspicion of corruption. Federal authorities reiterated that strict measures will be taken against officials attempting to undermine national macroeconomic reforms or embezzle state resources.

Study participants concluded that taking decisive, high-visibility legal action against corrupt officials remains the most effective strategy to curb public sector graft and restore public trust.

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