Kenya has been ranked 94th in the 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), falling behind Rwanda and Tanzania.
Rwanda tied with Armenia at position 59, while Tanzania was placed 78th, up from 82 in 2021, just below South Africa at 77.
In recent years, Tanzania has introduced digital governance initiatives and reforms to improve efficiency and service delivery. The country’s Digital Tanzania Project is laying the foundation for technology-driven governance, while frameworks such as the Data Protection Act aim to enhance digital security.
Tanzania has also worked to make its policies more reliable and predictable and strengthened ties with Egypt, France, and Türkiye. This has boosted investor confidence, with foreign and domestic investment rising 21.6% to US$6.56 billion in the fiscal year ending June 2024.
Other African rankings show Egypt at 81, Senegal 83, Ecuador and Ghana at 86, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Namibia at 90, Benin 93, Tunisia 96, and Uganda at 98, rounding out the top 100. Venezuela was ranked the lowest.
Africa, the world’s second-largest continent, had 28 countries ranked in the CGGI, representing about 1.16 billion people. With 70% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population under 30, the region faces both opportunities and challenges in governance.
Mauritius remained Africa’s top performer at position 51, though it has slipped from 36 in 2021 due to weaker scores in Financial Stewardship and Attractive Marketplace. Only Tanzania and Rwanda improved their positions between 2021 and 2025, while most African countries dropped. Average scores for the continent fell during the pandemic years but improved slightly in 2024–2025.
The CGGI noted that Africa’s strongest gains were in Strong Institutions, while Financial Stewardship, Global Influence & Reputation, and Helping People Rise declined. Fiscal pressures and rising debt remain major concerns.
Other highlights from the continent include Morocco, which has improved its Data Capability score through the Digital Morocco 2030 vision. Botswana has strengthened the Quality of Judiciary by introducing digitisation projects aimed at speeding up court cases. Zimbabwe has also recorded progress in Adaptability after launching a National Climate Change Adaptation Plan in response to the 2024 El Niño drought.
Globally, Singapore was ranked the world’s best-governed country for the fourth time since the index began in 2021. The country widened the gap with its competitors, followed by Denmark in second place and Norway in third. Denmark has steadily risen from 6th in 2021 to 2nd this year.
European countries dominated, taking 13 of the top 20 spots, with Finland and Sweden rounding out the top five. The Asia-Pacific region was also strong, with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea joining Singapore in the top 20.
In a major shift, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) entered the top 10 for the first time, moving from 14th in 2024 to 9th in 2025, driven by big gains in Financial Stewardship. It remains the only Middle Eastern country in the top 20.
The United States dropped to 23rd, down two places from last year, and is one of two G7 countries outside the top 20. While it scored well overall, it lagged in Spending Efficiency, Budget Surplus, and Helping People Rise, which measures safety, equality, and income distribution.
Meanwhile, Lithuania was highlighted as a steady improver, moving from 30th in 2021 to 25th in 2025.
The CGGI report said the top 20 has been largely stable since 2021, showing that good governance takes time to build.
“Good government is never a matter of chance,” the report stated. “It is built through strong institutions, capable systems, skilled leadership, and a culture of integrity and excellence.”
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