Africa’s Governance Progress Grinds to a Halt, Report Reveals
A recent report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has painted a concerning picture of governance in Africa, revealing that the continent has experienced years of "almost complete stagnation" in terms of progress. The 2024 Ibrahim Index of African Governance report, which assesses the performance of various African governments and trends across the continent, found that overall governance progress "grounded to a halt" in 2022 due to rising conflict and insecurity, as well as a "shrinking democratic space".
According to the report, which analyzed data from dozens of independent sources, just over half (52.1%) of Africa’s population, living in 33 out of 54 countries, saw progress in governance between 2014 and 2023. However, for the remaining half, the level of overall governance reached in 2023 was worse than in 2014. The report’s authors organized hundreds of variables into four main categories: Security & Rule of Law; Participation, Rights & Inclusion; Foundations for Economic Opportunity; and Human Development.
Despite the dire picture, the report highlights some "very dynamic and diverse performances and trajectories" at the country level. Thirteen countries, including Egypt, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Somalia, were found to have made significant progress in governance over the decade. Seychelles, which overtook Mauritius for the top-rank spot, was joined by Gambia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Mauritania, and Djibouti in the top 10 most improved countries between 2014 and 2023.
On the other hand, the report lamented the state of governance in countries such as Comoros, Mali, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Niger, and Eswatini, which were categorized as "most deteriorated". However, it also noted that decade-long deterioration was seen in high-ranked countries, highlighting the complexity of the issue.
One bright spot in the report was the substantial progress recorded in economic and human development-related sub-categories. Infrastructure was cited as the "most improved" sub-category, driven by impressive advancements in access to mobile communications, internet, computers, and energy. Women’s Equality also saw remarkable progress, although this was offset by the deterioration of all security and democracy-related sub-categories over the decade.
The report’s findings serve as a wake-up call for African governments and international stakeholders to re-examine their priorities and strategies for promoting good governance and development on the continent.