On 19 March 2026, Transparency International (TI) Defence & Security organized a webinar titled “Building resilient and transparent security and defence institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa” for the regional launch of the 2025 Government Defence Integrity (GDI) Index. The webinar aimed to present the latest GDI data to global stakeholders and facilitate discussions on how improved defence governance can contribute to stability amid the ongoing security challenges in the region. Approximately 80 policymakers and practitioners working on security sector reform (SSR), good governance, and anti-corruption participated. This 2025 GDI first regional wave assessed the institutional resilience of defence sectors across 17 Sub-Saharan African countries in the context of increasing violent threats.
The event opened with remarks from the Adviser and Head of Public Sector Governance at the Commonwealth Secretariat, followed by a panel discussion moderated by the GDI Research Manager. Panelists included representatives from the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) – TI chapter Nigeria – , the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Nairobi, and the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU). Discussions explored how the GDI findings reflect regional security realities; the impact of corruption on SSR; challenges posed by secrecy and limited access to information in defence sectors; and the relevance of GDI data to peacebuilding and SSR programming. Participants also examined barriers to using data effectively in SSR design and implementation, as well as areas of improvement shown by some countries over time.
UNOAU highlighted relevant AU policies, frameworks, tools and support mechanisms for Member States and Regional Economic Communities, emphasizing long-term, system-wide, governance-based approaches. Key messages included the importance of addressing root causes through governance and oversight, promoting trust-building and people-centered reforms, ensuring national ownership, and translating data awareness into concrete action, tackle fragmented and siloed working practices, and align efforts to national priorities. Political will, trust, inclusiveness, and sustained commitment were identified as essential to strengthening integrity and addressing corruption in the defence sector.
