Top 10 Countries in Africa with the Worst Government: 2025 Ranking

Africa, the world’s second largest continent by both landmass and population, continues to struggle with persistent governance challenges.

Despite modest progress recorded between 2024 and 2025, the region still scored the lowest globally on the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) 2025. Out of the 120 countries assessed, 28 African states were ranked, collectively representing a population of about 1.16 billion.

A defining characteristic of the region is its youthful population, with nearly 70% of Sub-Saharan Africans under the age of 30. This demographic trend holds the potential to accelerate economic growth, but it also places enormous pressure on governments to provide effective policies, strong institutions and sustainable opportunities for future generations.

Mauritius has remained Africa’s best performer for the fifth year running, though its global position has slipped from 36th in 2021 to 51st in 2025. This decline reflects both the increasing competition from newly assessed countries and a weakening in its performance across critical pillars such as financial stewardship and the attractiveness of its marketplace.

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Between 2021 and 2025, only Tanzania and Rwanda managed to climb the rankings, while most African countries slipped further down. Although 2024 and 2025 brought some modest recovery, the improvements have not been significant enough to close the gap with other regions.

The CGGI evaluates governance effectiveness through seven pillars. In Africa, the results for 2025 were mixed. Some governments recorded progress in strengthening institutions, reflected in modest gains in judicial reforms, electoral processes and anti-corruption measures.

However, financial stewardship showed the steepest and most sustained decline, with high debt levels, fragile fiscal frameworks and limited capacity for revenue mobilisation leaving many economies exposed. Global influence and reputation remained weak, signalling limited competitiveness in global markets and ineffective diplomacy.

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Human development and social mobility also continued to underperform, underscoring the lack of inclusive policies and the persistence of inequality. The remaining pillars stagnated, highlighting the urgent need for leadership capable of delivering long-term structural reforms.

The rankings placed several African countries at the very bottom of the global table. Among the ten worst performers in 2025 are Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Angola, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar and Cameroon. These countries share common obstacles, ranging from political instability and weak institutional frameworks to corruption, insecurity and economic mismanagement.

The 2025 CGGI highlights the difficult truth that African countries must urgently strengthen fiscal discipline, build transparency and commit to policies that secure opportunities for their youthful populations.

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10 Countries in Africa with the Worst Government