Two-thirds of Nigerian doctors, nurses and midwives demand bribes from patients before treatment, a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed.

The report titled “NBS Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trend” for 2023, published on Thursday, said 42 per cent of the health workers received bribes to speed up procedures, and 15 per cent also took bribes to make the finalisation of the procedures possible.

It, however, added that 11 per cent were paid bribes as a “sign of appreciation,” which still reflects the purpose of gratification for the healthcare service they received.  

“As for doctors, nurses and midwives, 11 per cent of bribes were paid as a sign of appreciation, possibly reflecting gratitude for the care received,” it stated.

The report comes as Nigerians have continued to raise concerns over poor quality health services in the country.

With these concerns, a shortage of health workers continues to plague the health system even as practitioners travel abroad to seek better welfare with the “japa syndrome.”

The NBS report, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), also revealed how Nigerian public officials received nothing less than N721 billion as bribes in 2023.

It further explained that the fund paid in bribes amounted to about 0.35 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Nigerian institutions are widely regarded as being among the most corrupt globally, most especially with a pervasive culture of corruption and impunity hindering effective governance and undermining public trust.