To report or not to report corruption? An empirical investigation of the determinants of corruption reporting in Africa

Abstract

Corruption remains a persistent challenge in Africa, yet individual level factors that influence citizens willingness to report corruption remains understudied despite various national level anti-corruption efforts. This article addresses this gap by examining the determinants of corruption reporting using a generalised ordered logit model. The findings reveal that higher education levels, employment with assets, civic engagement, and trust in political institutions increase the likelihood of reporting corruption. However, political affiliation, urban residency, gender, religiosity, perceptions of impunity among public officials, and media consumption have weaker effects. These results highlight the complexity of citizens anti-corruption efforts and emphasize the need for multifaceted strategies tailored to individual and contextual factors in Africa.