Preventing Corruption in African Procurement

This research paper by Professor Awadi Sadiki Mawenya, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), examines the systemic nature of corruption in African public procurement. It argues that corruption in this sector is a primary driver of poverty on the continent and proposes a holistic strategy for mitigation involving legal reform, political commitment, and international cooperation.

• Corruption in public procurement is identified as the primary cause of poverty in Africa, with reputable surveys estimating the annual cost to the continent at $148-billion.
• Public procurement is particularly vulnerable to corruption because it represents a significant portion of public financial expenditure, typically between 50% and 80% at all government levels.
• Corruption in Sub-Saharan African public procurement contracts is estimated to occur in up to 70% of cases, which typically inflates project costs by 20-30%.
• The author describes a causative cycle where 'grand corruption'—driven by greed—diverts public revenues into private coffers, creating poverty, which then compels underpaid public servants to engage in 'petty corruption' for survival.
• A significant portion of funds stolen through corruption in Africa is deposited in banks in North America and Europe; these stolen sums are estimated to exceed half of the continent's external debt.
• Combating procurement corruption requires a holistic, concurrent package of measures including political will, public service reforms, transparency, accountability, and a sound legal framework featuring anti-corruption laws with effective sanctions.
• Key political milestones in the fight against corruption include the African Union (AU) Convention Against Corruption and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol Against Corruption.

APA

Mawenya, A. S. (2008). Preventing Corruption in African Procurement. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Occasional-Paper-9.pdf

Chicago

Mawenya, Awadi Sadiki. Preventing Corruption in African Procurement. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2008. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Occasional-Paper-9.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mawenya |first1=Awadi Sadiki |title=Preventing Corruption in African Procurement |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Occasional-Paper-9.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mawenya2008preventing, author = {Mawenya, Awadi Sadiki}, title = {{Preventing Corruption in African Procurement}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Occasional-Paper-9.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }