Africa’s governance divide grows as Mauritius leads, Kenya stalls — CGGI Index

The 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) has once again exposed Africa’s widening governance gap, with Mauritius maintaining its lead as the continent’s best-governed country, ranking 51st globally.

The CGGI evaluates 120 countries across 35 indicators, including institutional strength, policy implementation, and public accountability. Rwanda (59th) was named the world’s best-performing low-income country, while Botswana (61st), Morocco (75th), and South Africa (77th) completed Africa’s top five. These nations were commended for reforms in digital governance, transparency, and institutional resilience, serving as regional benchmarks despite broader challenges.

For example, Morocco has made notable strides in data transparency and digital infrastructure, while Botswana, for its part, has improved its judiciary quality through digitalization reforms in recent years. While these few countries demonstrate progress, the report highlights a stark reality: Africa remains the lowest-performing region globally, with more than half of its countries experiencing governance declines between 2021 and 2025. By contrast, countries in Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific region, which were already leading, have largely improved their governance performance over the same period.

Kenya exemplifies this stagnation. Once a rising performer, the country now ranks 94th — unchanged from 2024 — and scored poorly in leadership foresight, institutional strength, and service delivery. Its lowest ranking came in the ‘Leadership and Foresight pillar (111th), reflecting struggles with ethical leadership and long-term planning. According to CGGI’s Dinesh Naidu, Africa’s modest improvements point to potential for reform, but deeper structural changes are urgently needed. “High-performing African countries are making governance advances that can inspire peers across the continent,” Naidu said.