Nigeria ranked third-worst nation in new global good governance index

Nigeria has been ranked in the 102nd position out of 104 countries captured in the inaugural Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) which classifies countries in terms of government capabilities and outcomes.

The data is aggregated to produce a score on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest), and Nigeria scored 0.319 points.

Finland topped the list with 0.848 points ahead of Switzerland and Singapore. The only countries behind Nigeria were Zimbabwe and Venezuela, while Mauritius, with an Index score of 0.5670 and at number 38 on the log, was Africa’s best performer.

The CGGI list measured countries using data from over 50 publicly available sources such as the World Trade Organisation, United Nations and World Bank.

The index focuses on seven pillars: leadership and foresight; robust laws and policies; strong institutions; financial stewardship; attractive marketplace; global influence and reputation; and helping people rise.

The report noted that countries that have done well under this pillar are all market economies with sound property rights and stable business regulations.

It added that the ability to effectively tackle corruption is the indicator with the strongest correlation with overall good government rankings.

The CGGI is released by the Chandler Institute of Governance which is a private non-profit organization headquartered in Singapore. Its objective is to support government leaders and public officers worldwide in nation building and strengthening public institutional capacity through training, research and advisory work.

It also shares tools and frameworks for effective policymaking, and empowers nations to provide better public services for citizens.

Characteristics of good governance, as identified by the United Nations, include accountability and transparency. A good government, according to the UN, must also be responsive, equitable and inclusive, effective and efficient, follows the rule of law, is participatory, and is also consensus oriented.