Mo Foundation ranks Nigeria 35 out of 54 in overall governance

Nigeria yesterday emerged 35th out of 54 African countries in overall governance ranking, according to a report released in Dakar, Senegal by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

The 2017 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) launched by the foundation indicated that Nigeria scored 48.1per cent in overall governance.

The country scored lower than the African average (50.8) and lower than the regional average for West Africa (53.8 per cent).

Nigeria, however, got its highest category score in participation and human rights (52.5 per cent), and its lowest category score in sustainable economic opportunity (42.3 per cent).

Nigeria achieved its highest sub-category score in rule of law (63.1 per cent), and its lowest sub-category score in accountability (32.7 per cent).

The report noted that over the last five years, Nigeria showed signs of ‘increasing improvement’ in overall governance.

Nigeria registered an overall governance improvement over the decade at an annual average trend of +0.38, with the pace of improvement quickening in the last five years at an annual average trend of +0.83.

Nigeria’s overall governance progress over the decade is driven by three of the four categories: participation and human Rights (annual average trend of +0.77), sustainable economic opportunity (annual average trend of +0.46) and human development (annual average trend of +0.66).

The IIAG recently revealed that Africa’s overall governance trajectory remains positive on average, but in recent years, has moved at a slower pace. With the failure by countries to build on recent progress or reverse negative trends and tackle emerging concerns in some key sectors, the Foundation is calling for vigilance on the continent’s future.

The 11th edition of the IIAG looks at both country and indicator trends over the last five years (2012-2016), within the context of the last decade (2007-2016).

By evaluating more recent progress on governance alongside long-term performance, the 2017 IIAG provides the most nuanced assessment to date of the evolution and direction that countries, regions and specific dimensions of governance are taking.

Over the decade, 40 African countries have improved in overall governance. In the last five years, 18 of these – a third of the continent’s countries and home to 58 per cent of African citizens – including Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria and Senegal, have even managed to accelerate their progress.