The country is ranked third in the Central African Sub-region and 136 out of 175 in the world.

The 2014 Corruption Perception Index, CPI, is out with Transparency International ranking Cameroon third in the Central African Sub-region. Cameroon scored 27/100 in 2014 up from 25/100 in 2013 classifying the country 136^th out of 175 countries and territories in the world, alongside Nigeria and Russia. Cameroon in 2013 was ranked 144^th out of 175. The country has therefore gained two points. The points have further favoured the country’s classification in the world chart, with eight points.

In Sub-saharan Africa, Cameroon is classified 30^th out of 40 countries. In the Central African sub-region, Cameroon is third, after Sao-Tome et Principe and Gabon. The index scores 175 countries and territories on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). No country has a perfect score which indicates a serious, worldwide corruption problem.

Transparency International-Cameroon’s President, Barrister Charles Nguini presented the report to the press in Yaounde yesterday December 3, 2014. He said Cameroon had made improvements, but which are not enough if the country hopes to remain top on the chart. He challenged stakeholders to embrace virtues of accountability and transparency as efforts intensify in the country to draw-back the corruption cankerworm. “Two points are relative”, and the corruption expert stressed that the country should not content itself with the improvement, but should rather take the bull by the horn to maintain efforts.  He recommends strong legal frameworks in the fight against corruption and the strict respect of existing laws.

The country’s upgrading has been linked to its adherence to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the ratification of the United Nations Anti-corruption Convention; actions that have been praised by Transparency International in the fight against corruption. The non-ratification of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combatting Corruption, the non-application of some sections of the Constitution and the absence of an anti-corruption law and that which protects people who denounce acts of corruption amongst others, are still highly needed by Transparency International as the country holds firm to the fight.

The CPI ranks Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland as the world’s least corrupt countries while Iraq, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Korea (North) and Somalia are the most corrupt in the world. The classification was based on 12 criteria. Good governance, accountability, and sane public contracts sector found prominence.