Congolese anti-corruption campaigner recognized among three global finalists, highlighting Sassoufit Collective’s fight against kleptocracy and for democracy in Congo-Brazzaville.
Paris, April 16, 2025 – The Sassoufit Collective is proud to announce that its founder and executive director, Andréa Ngombet, has been shortlisted as one of three finalists for the 2025 Allard Prize for International Integrity. The Allard Prize – one of the world’s leading anti-corruption honors – recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage and leadership in combating corruption and upholding human rights. The 2025 Award Ceremony will take place in New York City this June, where the winner will be announced and awarded a CAD 100,000 prize.
Ngombet’s shortlisting for this prestigious international award shines a spotlight on the work of the Sassoufit Collective, a citizen-led Congolese initiative dedicated to exposing corruption in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) and advocating for democratic governance. Founded in 2014, “#Sassoufit” (a name playing on the French phrase ça suffit, meaning “that’s enough”) grew out of popular demand to end President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s decades-long kleptocratic rule. The collective spearheaded a global digital media campaign to oppose unconstitutional attempts to extend Sassou Nguesso’s hold on power in 2015. Since then, Sassoufit has consistently worked to document and denounce high-level corruption, economic crimes, and human rights abuses perpetrated under the Brazzaville regime. Its efforts have been featured in international media and even acknowledged by the United Nations Development Programme, which, in a 2017 report, hailed Sassoufit as a “highly organized dynamic for change” in Congo-Brazzaville. Through investigative research and grassroots mobilization, the collective continues to champion transparency, the rule of law, and accountable leadership in Congo.
As part of its mission to expose systemic corruption, the Sassoufit Collective recently published a landmark investigative report on the Congolese health sector, titled “One Country… Two Health Systems.” Published in June 2024, the report revealed a stark two-tier healthcare system in Congo-Brazzaville caused by entrenched corruption: one system that enriches the President and his inner circle, and another left in ruin for the general population. The study documents blatant nepotism and mismanagement in public health funds – including no-bid procurement contracts awarded to the Health Minister’s husband and a pharmaceutical supply monopoly controlled by President Sassou Nguesso’s son. Such corruption has effectively institutionalized an “apartheid” in healthcare services, where well-connected elites enjoy modern clinics while ordinary Congolese citizens face collapsing hospitals and lack of care. This investigation is the latest example of Sassoufit’s commitment to uncover how graft and kleptocracy undermine essential services and the well-being of Congo’s people.
Andréa Ngombet has been at the forefront of Congo-Brazzaville’s pro-democracy and anti-corruption movement for over a decade. A civil society leader and political activist, Ngombet is dedicated to promoting democracy, transparency, and civic engagement in his homeland. His activism has often come at great personal risk. On October 9, 2015, Ngombet was assaulted by officials inside the Congolese Embassy in Paris after he spoke out against an illegal constitutional referendum. This violent incident became a turning point in his advocacy. Rather than silencing him, this attack strengthened Ngombet’s resolve to fight for change. He has since continued to organize and speak out against authoritarianism and corruption despite threats and exile. Ngombet has collaborated with major international NGOs and investigative media as an expert on kleptocracy, and he has shared Congo’s struggle on the global stage. He is an alumnus of both the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy and the Stanford University Draper Hills fellowship; he is also a One Young World Ambassador, roles through which he has engaged with worldwide networks of reformers. Under his leadership as founder of Sassoufit (where he serves as Global Coordinator), the collective has become an influential voice for the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Congo-Brazzaville.
“I am deeply honored to be shortlisted for the Allard Prize for International Integrity,” said Andréa Ngombet. “This recognition affirms that our pursuit of democracy, transparency, and justice in Congo-Brazzaville aligns with the values of integrity and courage that the Allard Prize champions. I share this honor with the Congolese people who bravely stand up to corruption. I congratulate my fellow finalists, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin of Somalia and Virginia Laparra of Guatemala, for their courageous work in defending truth and accountability. I am grateful to the Allard Prize jury for shining a light on our collective fight against corruption and to everyone who has supported our mission to build a free and transparent Congo.”*
The Sassoufit Collective extends its heartfelt congratulations to the two other Allard Prize finalists, Mr. Abdalle Ahmed Mumin and Ms. Virginia Laparra, who have been recognized alongside Mr. Ngombet for their inspiring anti-corruption efforts. Sassoufit also expresses its gratitude to the Allard Prize committee for acknowledging the vital work being done to combat corruption in Congo-Brazzaville. The Allard Prize for International Integrity is awarded biennially; this year’s winner will be announced at the Allard Prize Award Ceremony in New York City on June 17, 2025. Sassoufit looks forward to being represented by its founder along with the global anti-corruption community at the ceremony and remains steadfast in its commitment to the values of integrity, accountability, and human dignity that this prize represents.
