₦airaland Forum

Nigeria has been ranked 5th in the latest Africa’s 20 best-performing countries by Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, which noted that the country was weighed down by a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita that has fallen over the reference period, a high level of debt (more than 90 per cent of GDP in 2024), weak regional integration, and a rule of law, which is among the most deficient on the continent.

It also misses out on the Top 10 most prosperous African countries. According to the Atlantic Council’s 2026 Prosperity Index, Africa’s most prosperous nations are those that have managed to combine economic opportunity with strong social outcomes, environmental sustainability and greater inclusion.

The ranking of Africa’s 20 best-performing countries is based on a proprietary methodology that analyses the trajectories of African states across three key dimensions: governance, influence and innovation.

Moving away from rankings based solely on GDP or conventional development indicators, this ranking offers a more comprehensive, forward-looking measure of African nations’ performance. It takes into account the ability of states to govern effectively, to carry weight on the international stage, to attract investment, to project their culture and diplomacy, and to prepare for the future through education, start-ups, patents and innovation.

For the 2026 edition, South Africa retains first place, with a comfortable lead, dominating in particular the “influence” and “innovation” dimensions, driven by its academic, scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystem, its diplomatic weight, its membership of the BRICS and the G20, as well as its symbolic and cultural capital. It nonetheless remains less well ranked in terms of governance, which illustrates the complexity of its trajectory.

The podium, by contrast, sees a major reshuffle. Mauritius climbs to second place, driven by its institutional stability, attractive business environment, and successful economic diversification. Namibia records the year’s strongest rise, moving from 15th to third place.

Its political stability, its infrastructure, its financial markets, its natural resources, and the improvement of its governance indicators – notably its ability to collect taxes – make it the great revelation of this edition.

Behind this leading trio, Morocco confirms its status as a safe bet and ranks 4th, benefiting from several years of investment in infrastructure, industry, renewable energy and sport. Like South Africa, Nigeria finished 5th and Egypt, 6th, severely penalised by poor governance scores, but remain among the continent’s heavyweights, driven by the size of their market, their influence and their capacity for innovation.

The top 10 is completed by Rwanda in 7th, Ghana in 8th, Côte d’Ivoire in 9th and Kenya in 10th. West Africa thus confirms its dynamism, driven by the economic rivalry between Accra and Abidjan, the rise of Nigeria and the progress of Côte d’Ivoire, which has become one of the continent’s major regional hubs.

Beyond the Top 10, the map of African performance is being redrawn. Algeria, which benefits from the poor performances of several countries previously ranked ahead of it, such as Senegal and Tunisia, advances markedly and reaches 12th place. Mauritania enters the top 20, notably driven by renewed diplomatic influence. Mozambique also joins the ranking.

Conversely, Ethiopia falls sharply, penalised by weaknesses in fiscal transparency and governance. Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania also lose several places. These movements reflect the new criteria taken into account in 2026, notably the tax burden, regional integration and a more refined measure of soft power.

Commenting, Director of Special Content, Partnerships and Media Diversification at Jeune Afrique Media Group, Julien Wagner, said: “This ranking has a deliberately dynamic and forward-looking dimension, giving greater weight to recent trends. It shows that a country’s performance cannot be reduced to its size, its wealth or its demographic weight. It is measured by the consistency of its long-term choices, the robustness of its institutions, its capacity for innovation and its ability to exert influence.

“The 2026 edition reveals a continent in motion, where certain balances are confirmed while new players are making their mark. With this second edition, the ranking is becoming a genuine barometer of these realignments.”

The 2026 methodology is based on the combined analysis of 24 indicators spread across three major dimensions. Governance has 50 per cent of the performance index, influence 25 and innovation 25.

THE prosperity index measures both individual well-being—through indicators such as income, education, and health—and shared prosperity, including environmental quality, income equality, and the well-being of minority groups.

Countries are ranked based on the equally weighted average of six indicators and grouped into categories ranging from “High Prosperity” to “Lowest Prosperity.”

The rankings highlight an important reality: the world’s richest countries are not always the most prosperous.

Seychelles, Africa’s most prosperous country (with score 77.4), ranked 39th globally in the 2026 Prosperity Index; Cape Verde (Ranked 42, Score: 76.1); Mauritius (Rank 45, Score: 74.6); Ghana (Rank 46, Score: 73.2) and South Africa (Rank 50, Score: 72.6)

Others are Botswana (Rank 55, Score: 72); Namibia (Rank 58, Score: 71.4); Senegal (Rank 63, Score: 69.5); Lesotho (Rank 72, Score: 67.5) and The Gambia (Rank 74, Score: 67.2).

Nigeria has been ranked 5th in the latest Africa’s 20 best-performing countries by Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report which noted that;

-1). The country(Nigeria) was weighed down by a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capital that has fallen over the reference period.
-2). A high level of debt (more than 90 per cent of GDP in 2024).
-3). A weak regional integration.
-4). And a rule of law, which is among the most deficient on the continent.
-5). Nigeria also misses out on the Top 10 most prosperous African countries. According to the Atlantic Council’s 2026 Prosperity Index

Africa’s most prosperous nations are those that have managed to combine economic opportunity with strong social outcomes, environmental sustainability and greater inclusion.

"Nigeria has been ranked 5th in the latest Africa’s 20 best-performing countries by Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, which noted that the country was weighed down by a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita that has fallen over the reference period, a high level of debt (more than 90 per cent of GDP in 2024), weak regional integration, and a rule of law, which is among the most deficient on the continent.

It also misses out on the Top 10 most prosperous African countries. According to the Atlantic Council’s 2026 Prosperity Index, Africa’s most prosperous nations are those that have managed to combine economic opportunity with strong social outcomes, environmental sustainability and greater inclusion."

Ofunaofu:
It shall never be well with those who worked for, supported, encouraged, and helped enthrone this APC regime.

As we speak, it is already not well with many of them. The regime they helped bring to power has succeeded in subjecting them to hardship, suffering, and even death.

We are no longer hearing, "Tinubu's government will favour me." Many of those who believed that are not even alive to receive that favour, let alone survive to enjoy it.

jameshankss:
Arguing that Obi’s presidential bid would only work in favour of Tinubu, Soludo said, “Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign, because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP.”

Obi, according to Soludo, would only deplete the votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pave the path for an APC victory.

He stated, “The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South-east has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a four-way race (it is a two-way race in the other five regions) thereby, ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/15/soludo-i-wont-succumb-to-bullies-obi-knows-he-cant-win/

Bobloco:
We were No. 1 in Africa. APC took over, and today we're No. 5, yet some people still say we're making progress.

Clearly, the only progress we're making is in reverse.

cyril10:
APC government drove the Nation to 5th position because they don't have anything good to offer Nigerians, all they are after is to grab power and steal from our common wealth.

ACRI:
Good news framed as bad news

What position was Nigeria before pre 2023??

Racoon:
APC under the disasters of Buhari and Tinubu have really make Nigeria a laughing stock. Failed leaderships that have done Nigeria so much damage.

Bobloco:
We were No. 1 in Africa. APC took over, and today we're No. 5, yet some people still say we're making progress.

Clearly, the only progress we're making is in reverse.

Bobloco:
We were No. 1 in Africa. APC took over, and today we're No. 5, yet some people still say we're making progress.

Clearly, the only progress we're making is in reverse.

temmyyem:
They can take 100th position, no one cares, who expect anything from a system designed to fail?

Pigsamaka Racoon:
"...That negative interpretation is my concern here. It concerns me because I’m fully convinced that a tinubu presidency would not only destabilise nigeria internally, it would damage nigeria globally, making it a big laughing stock, a butt of dark international jokes!

Truth is, next year’s presidential election will have huge long-term implications, its outcome will affect nigeria for decades. Therefore, no patriotic Nigerian should sit on the fence; that patriotism is what underpins this intervention. To be sure, the presidential election should be as much about character as manifesto.

The presidency is too serious an office to be invested in someone with serious integrity deficit. Those ignoring character and integrity should remember the Turkish proverb: “When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2022/11/

Eriokanmi:
You can say that again. From 1st position to 5th under apc. A lot of african nations have left us behind, after waiting endlessly for the giants to wake up but refused. If you're in doubt, cross the border to Benin republic. There's 24hrs power supply up to remote places. You won't see solar panel littering their roofs.

The home Internet solution that mtn is now doing in lagos had since been in existence in that country. Now, cefa that used to be a worthless currency in africa has left the naira far behind. Those wicked souls wont see all these failures but drool on how pater obi didn't do primaries or left labour party.

Who will invest in an insecure nation?

Pigsamaka Bobloco:
We were No. 1 in Africa. APC took over, and today we're No. 5, yet some people still say we're making progress.

Clearly, the only progress we're making is in reverse.

Eriokanmi Pigsamaka:
You can say that again. From 1st position to 5th under apc. A lot of african nations have left us behind, after waiting endlessly for the giants to wake up but refused. If you're in doubt, cross the border to Benin republic. There's 24hrs power supply up to remote places. You won't see solar panel littering their roofs.

The home Internet solution that mtn is now doing in lagos had since been in existence in that country. Now, cefa that used to be a worthless currency in africa has left the naira far behind. Those wicked souls wont see all these failures but drool on how pater obi didn't do primaries or left labour party.

Who will invest in an insecure nation?