Ghana becomes 4th best African country for freedom, beating South Africa, Senegal and others

• Ghana ranked 4th in Africa and 46th globally on the Atlantic Council Freedom Index with a score of 73.2.

• Only Seychelles, Cape Verde and Mauritius ranked higher than Ghana in Africa.

• Ghana outperformed South Africa (50th globally) and Senegal (63rd globally) in the latest rankings.

Ghana has been ranked the fourth freest country in Africa and 46th globally out of 164 countries in the latest Freedom and Prosperity Index published by the Atlantic Council's Freedom and Prosperity Center, placing it ahead of countries such as South Africa and Senegal.

The West African nation scored 73.2 points on the Freedom Index, earning a place in the "Moderate Freedom" category. Only Seychelles, Cape Verde and Mauritius ranked higher on the continent.

The index assesses countries based on political freedom, economic freedom and the rule of law. It also measures prosperity through indicators such as income, health, education, inequality, minority rights and environmental performance.

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According to the Atlantic Council's 2026 report, Ghana's strong performance reflects decades of democratic progress, competitive elections and active civic participation.

The report highlights the country's vibrant civil society, which continues to play a key role in holding public officials accountable and protecting civic freedoms.

One of Ghana's notable strengths is women's economic freedom. Afrobarometer survey findings cited in the report indicate strong public support for gender equality in the workplace and broader economic participation.

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Despite its impressive freedom ranking, Ghana faces significant economic challenges. The country recorded a prosperity score of 54.9, placing it 115th globally.

This creates a gap of 69 places between Ghana's freedom and prosperity rankings, suggesting that political and civil liberties have not yet translated into equivalent economic gains for many citizens.

The report points to factors such as rising public debt, repeated reliance on International Monetary Fund programmes and persistent youth unemployment as key obstacles to broader economic progress.

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It also notes concerns about judicial independence and declining public confidence in the judiciary.

Nevertheless, Ghana's ranking ahead of larger economies such as South Africa demonstrates the country's continued strength in political and civic freedoms.

The latest results reinforce Ghana's reputation as one of Africa's most stable democracies, even as it continues to grapple with economic and institutional challenges.

The table below highlights the top 10 African countries on the Atlantic Council Freedom Index.

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