Corruption in Botswana

Extent

Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index gave Botswana a score of 58 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Botswana ranked 41st among the 182 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with regional scores, the best score among sub-Saharan African countries was 68, the average was 32 and the worst was 9. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 89 (ranked 1), the average was 42, and the worst was 9 (ranked 181, in a two-way tie).

The Business Anti-Corruption Portal, ranked Botswana as moderate in regards to the amount of corruption seen in the country. The Business Anti-Corruption Portal continued on, stating that multiple government sectors, such as the Judicial services, Police, Legislation, Public services, Tax Administration and Public Procurement all see varying risks of corruption. In the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report Botswana ranks 113/141 in the public-sector performance and ranks 32/141 in Transparency. In the Global Competitiveness Report conducted in the years of 2011 and 2012, it was reported that corruption in Botswana is one of the most problematic factors when it comes to doing business in the country.

Corruption has seen a slight increase over the past years, as a survey carried out by Transparency International and Afrobarometer in 2015 stated that 1% of Botswana citizens had paid a bribe in the previous 12 months for a public service, which in 2019, increased to 7%.

The survey also stated that 39% of Botswana residents think that people in police departments are involved in corruption, a decrease from 54% in 2015. 39% of Botswana residents think that government officials are involved in corruption, an increase from 29% in 2015, and 28% of Botswana residents think that members of parliament are involved in corruption, an increase from 28% in 2015.

Furthermore, in 2019, 52% of Botswana residents stated that corruption increased in their nation, 20% said it decreased, 17% said it stayed the same, and 11% did not give an answer; while in the 2015 survey, 51% of residents said that there was an increase in corruption, 24% said that it decreased, 14% said it stayed the same and 11% did not give an answer.

Forms of corruption

Corruption in Botswana is primarily used by the small, state elite. It is these individuals that have used their power to create patronage networks and have the interests of both the public sector and private sector blur together. Combating this form of corruption is harder. It is more entrenched in the state government and private industries, and the small minority that is benefitting from this corruption can use their power to ensure that it continues on. Nepotism and patronage are the preferred methods of these state elites.

Botswana is also a victim to petty and bureaucratic corruption. However, this form of corruption is typically rarely seen and perceived to be low. In 2016, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development spent 600 million pula without approval from the Parliament, and put Botswana’s education sector in financial danger.