Top 10 most disliked countries in Africa

• A 2026 Democracy Perception Index ranks Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe among the African countries with the lowest global governance perception scores.

• The report from the Global Country Perceptions Database evaluates how countries are viewed internationally based on democracy, governance, and institutional trust—not official diplomatic status.

• Other countries in the ranking include Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, DR Congo, and Kenya, with varying perception scores influenced by political and governance concerns.

The index examines how countries and global organisations are viewed worldwide, tracking reputation trends over time and comparing how nations perceive one another across different regions and audiences.

In the 2026 ranking, Cameroon was placed at the bottom among the listed African countries, followed by Nigeria and Zimbabwe. The index reflects perceived challenges relating to governance, political freedoms, and democratic processes in these countries, based on aggregated global perception data.

The full ranking of African countries in the report is as follows:

Continues to face concerns around governance and political freedoms, which affect its global perception scores.

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Despite its regional influence, perceptions are shaped by issues around corruption, insecurity, and institutional trust.

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Long-standing political and economic challenges continue to influence its international democratic image.

Perceptions reflect debates around political openness and civil liberties in recent years.

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Governance and political rights concerns remain key factors influencing its ranking.

Transitional reforms are ongoing, but legacy governance issues still affect perception.

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Political stability has improved, though past tensions still influence external views.

Strong institutions but concerns around inequality and governance efficiency impact perception.

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Security challenges and institutional fragility continue to shape its global image.

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Seen relatively more positively within the list, though governance debates still persist.

The DPI highlights that perceptions can change over time depending on political reforms, economic growth, and international engagement.