Nigeria has been ranked among the worst-governed countries in Africa, according to the 2024 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG).
The report, released by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, shows that Nigeria dropped three places to 33rd out of 54 African nations, marking a concerning decline in governance over the past decade. This positions Nigeria among 11 African countries with the worst governance deterioration since 2014.
The IIAG, published since 2007, assesses governance across Africa using various metrics, including security, rule of law, economic opportunities, human development, and democratic participation. Data is collected from 49 independent sources to evaluate governance effectiveness.
The 2024 report pointed out significant governance failures in Nigeria, highlighting poor scores in key areas: security and rule of law (39%), accountability and transparency (47.3%), and anti-corruption efforts (28.9%). Nigeria also struggled with low performance in social protection, inclusion, equality, and infrastructure....Read Full Article [Click Here>]
Additionally, the report noted a broader governance crisis across Africa, driven by security challenges and diminishing democratic spaces. Mo Ibrahim, the foundation’s chair, emphasized that the governance decline in countries like Nigeria jeopardizes recent economic and social development gains. He remarked that while these challenges are global, they are particularly acute in Africa, where long-standing issues are worsened by governance failures.
Despite these troubling trends, the report identified success stories, with countries like Seychelles, Gambia, and Sierra Leone showing improvements in governance. Notably, Seychelles has surpassed Mauritius as the best-governed African nation, demonstrating that progress is achievable even amid broader challenges.
In contrast, Nigeria is grouped with nations like Sudan, Mozambique, and Senegal, all of which have faced significant governance decline over the past decade.
