Preventing Corruption in African Procurement

The document argues that corruption in public procurement is a systemic issue in Africa, costing the continent approximately $148 billion annually and serving as a primary driver of poverty. It identifies a cycle where 'grand corruption' by elites leads to poverty, which in turn fuels 'petty corruption' among underpaid public servants. The author advocates for a comprehensive approach combining political will, robust legal frameworks, transparency, and the involvement of non-state actors to reduce corruption to marginal levels.

• Corruption in public procurement is identified as the primary driver of poverty across Africa, with reputable surveys estimating the annual cost to the continent at $148 billion.
• Corruption is estimated to affect up to 70% of public procurement contracts in Sub-Saharan Africa, typically inflating project costs by 20-30%.
• The author describes a causative relationship where 'grand corruption'—driven by greed for wealth and power—diverts public revenues and creates poverty, which then forces underpaid public servants to engage in 'petty corruption' for survival.
• A significant portion of funds stolen through corruption in Africa is transferred to banks in Europe and North America, with the total amount estimated to exceed half of the continent's external debt.
• Combating procurement corruption requires a holistic package of concurrent measures, including political commitment, public service reforms, transparency, and a legal framework that combines preventive statutes with punitive 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} }