Nigeria dey among African countries wey their overall governance score fall between 2016 and 2025, according to di new 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance. Mo Ibrahim Foundation put Nigeria and Madagascar together for 38th position for di latest-year ranking. Di findings concern data across ten years, no be measurement of wetin happen this week.
Di picture across Africa get different sides. Thirty countries improve their overall score across di decade, 23 go down and one no change. Africa average rise from 49.3 to 50.1 out of 100. Progress for economic opportunity and human development pass di decline for security, rights and participation inside that combined measure. Small progress for di continent no mean say every country or every part of government improve.
Di foundation put Nigeria under slowing deterioration. Di meaning clear: di score for 2025 lower than 2016, but di speed wey e dey fall don reduce since 2021. Nobody suppose shorten that description to recovery or collapse wey dey speed up. National ranking no also show how every Nigerian state or community perform.
Di index assess 54 countries through four broad groups: security and rule of law; participation, rights and inclusion; economic opportunity; and human development. Di foundation method join different indicators and publish both scores and trends. Its portal advise users to compare results inside di latest dataset, because dem apply revisions across all di years wey dem assess.
For AFP interview wey Africanews report on 1 November, founder Mo Ibrahim argue say strongman politics wey dey rise internationally dey encourage African leaders to weaken rights. Na im interpretation of di political situation, no be proof of cause wey one country numerical score establish. This report no repeat unverified allegations about particular incidents or suggest say Nigeria get recent military coup.
Wetin e mean for you: di useful question na which public service or right dey behind headline ranking. Nigerian readers fit use di separate measures to ask questions about access to education, healthcare, security and government wey dey answer to people. Overall score na starting point to examine things, no be proof say one local school, hospital or official don improve or fail.