The Chandler Index singles out Mauritius, Rwanda and Botswana for his or her governance efficiency, in addition to Tanzania for its progress.
In accordance with the 2025 Chandler Good Governance Index (CGGI) rating, Mauritius is the best-performing authorities in Africa, adopted by Rwanda and Botswana. These sturdy performances can’t disguise the truth that the typical rating for African nations is the bottom of all areas, regardless of a slight enchancment over two years.
The Chandler Institute of Governance is an NGO that works with governments around the globe to construct a resilient and efficient public sector. It publishes an annual index that measures the capability and effectiveness of 120 governments around the globe. Developed by practitioners for practitioners, this index is meant as a sensible diagnostic device to assist governments assess their efficiency and determine areas for capability improvement.
Now in its fifth version, the index affords one of the crucial complete world measures of presidency capability and effectiveness. ‘For Africa, the 2025 version of the index presents a blended however hopeful image.’ This is among the conclusions not too long ago offered by Dinesh Naidu, Director of Data on the Institute in Pretoria. “Total, the African area nonetheless has a lot to do to enhance the standard of its governance. Nevertheless, current progress suggests an upward trajectory. Regardless of the troublesome world context, high-performing African nations are making advances in governance that may encourage their friends throughout the continent. ”
Whereas lots of the 28 African nations ranked by the index face fiscal and institutional challenges, a number of stand out for his or her progress and resilience.
Within the 2025 rating of 120 nations, Mauritius (51st), Rwanda (59th), Botswana (61st), Morocco (seventy fifth) and South Africa (77th) are among the many prime 5 nations within the area. Mauritius remained the highest-ranked nation on the continent for the fifth consecutive yr, however Rwanda stands out because the world’s best-performing low-income nation, ‘demonstrating that nationwide wealth isn’t essentially a prerequisite for efficient authorities,’ the Institute feedback. New to the index, Côte d’Ivoire ranks a modest ninetieth.
Tanzania’s efforts
Amongst different examples, the report notes that in recent times, Botswana has improved its judicial system via digitisation reforms, whereas Morocco has made notable progress in knowledge transparency and digital infrastructure. South Africa, regardless of budgetary pressures, stays one of many continent’s greatest performers and a benchmark for institutional capability.
“South Africa continues to show actual strengths by way of rigorous legal guidelines and insurance policies, in addition to dependable establishments, enabling it to stay among the many 5 best-performing African nations. On the identical time, persistent fiscal pressures and social tensions underscore the necessity to strengthen outcomes in areas resembling employment and earnings distribution. South Africa has put the mandatory frameworks in place; it should now deal with translating these competencies into extra inclusive and tangible outcomes for residents.
For its half, Tanzania has recorded the strongest enchancment of any African nation because the index was first revealed in 2021. Nevertheless, this efficiency is relative: the nation has moved from 82nd to 78th place globally.
Nevertheless, the report notes that in recent times, the Tanzanian authorities has expanded its digital governance initiatives and launched structural reforms to enhance administrative effectivity and repair supply. “The federal government’s Digital Tanzania challenge is laying the foundations for technology-driven governance options, whereas new regulatory frameworks, such because the Information Safety Act, intention to strengthen safety within the digital area. ‘
Dinesh Naidu sums it up: ’Good governance is constructed over a long time, however each step ahead counts. The progress we’re seeing at present in these African nations, from digitisation to public establishment reforms, are the constructing blocks of long-term transformation. ”
Nonetheless, Africa stays behind; solely two nations, Tanzania and Rwanda, have improved their rankings in 4 years. Monetary administration stays a significant concern, in a context the place budgetary envelopes are tightening and the burden of public debt weighs closely on your complete area.
Singapore, world chief!
And but, the continent’s sturdy demographic momentum affords promising alternatives. ‘With 70% of the inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa beneath the age of 30, governments that may ship employment, training and inclusive progress stand to reap a substantial dividend,’ says the Institute.
‘What’s encouraging is the progress made in areas resembling institutional reliability and digital governance. Throughout Africa, we’re seeing examples of governments innovating to enhance service supply and strengthen accountability. These reforms present that, even in a troublesome world context, progress is feasible,’ feedback Dinesh Naidu.
Governments are beneath stress to ship higher providers and governance. The index supplies them with concrete benchmarks throughout seven pillars: management and foresight, high quality of legal guidelines and public insurance policies, institutional power, public finance administration, financial attractiveness, world affect, and skill to advertise social mobility.
It’s price noting that the top-ranked nation might come as a shock, as it’s Singapore! Nevertheless, the city-state is commonly criticised by human rights organisations for proscribing freedom of expression and for its notably harsh justice system. The report doesn’t ignore these points, however highlights Singapore’s skill to draw capital, promote social mobility and keep secure and related political establishments. The names of the following nations within the index (Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland) are much less shocking. The United Arab Emirates ranks ninth, France 18th and the US twenty third.
The ‘Chandler Index of Good Governance goals to recognise progress, foster peer studying and encourage enchancment. We see it as a sensible information for governments dedicated to strengthening their long-term capability and enhancing service supply,’ says Dinesh Naidu.
He concludes: ‘The Chandler Institute of Governance stays dedicated to working alongside African governments, sharing their concepts and strengthening public establishments to construct a extra resilient and inclusive future.’
