New Zealand with a score of 9.4 points out of 10 was adjudged to be the world’s least corrupt country with Denmark coming second with 9.3 points.

According to the perception index released on Tuesday corruption remained embedded in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Transparency said the overall picture remained one of serious corruption challenges across the region.

"The corruption perceptions index results show that corruption has a particularly stark and devastating effect on countries that face ongoing political instability and high levels of poverty,” Transparency said

Analyses of the Index by Transparency International indicate that of the 47 countries reviewed in the region, 31 scored less than three out of 10, indicating that corruption was perceived as rampant, while 13 scored between 3 and 5, indicating that corruption was perceived as a serious challenge by country experts and businessmen.

In 2008, only three countries in the region scored more than five: Botswana, Mauritius and Cape Verde, Transparency International said.

Resource-rich countries such as Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Chad and Sudan scored less than 2.0 points.

Transparency International said despite that a number of countries have put in place legal instruments to deal with corruption, enforcement remain inconsistent.