“Moral threshold is falling,” warns Mo Ibrahim as his governance index reveals a decade of widespread decline.
In an exclusive interview, businessman and philanthropist Mo Ibrahim addressed the alarming trends in African governance, attributing part of the decline to the global rise of populism and authoritarianism. According to the latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a staggering 78% of Africa’s populace resides in nations where security and democratic principles have worsened between 2014 and 2023.
“Africa isn’t isolated from global events; we’re witnessing a breakdown of the international order everywhere,” Ibrahim explained. “Many are violating international law without facing consequences.”
He emphasized the concerning shift in moral standards, stating, “Unfortunately, the moral threshold is lowering globally, and this trend is evident in Africa as well. The presence of ‘strongmen’ has become normalized.”
The index, launched by Ibrahim in 2007, highlights a stagnation in governance across the continent, which has adversely impacted health and education systems. However, the findings are not uniform: half of the countries have shown declining governance, while the other half have made strides forward.
Published biennially, the index evaluates African governments on security and law, participation rights, economic opportunity, and human development, which encompasses health and education. While the most significant declines were observed in security and safety, democracy—especially in terms of participation, rights, and transparency—also suffered.
Much of this deterioration results from severe crackdowns on freedom of assembly. In 29 countries, citizens are experiencing “substantially” reduced rights to gather and exchange ideas, alongside increased restrictions on civil society and free speech, particularly in online spaces.
In terms of security, over half the continent has reported increasing violence in the past five years, which hampers progress in economic opportunities, health, education, and overall sustainability. The report identified 11 countries facing a troubling trend of decline over the last decade, including Sudan, where ongoing conflict has led the UN to label the situation as “one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history,” as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Sahel region.
Interestingly, even higher-ranked nations like Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, and Tunisia—despite being among the top ten leaders in 2023—reported declines in governance from 2014 to 2023.
Yet the report also points to notable advancements in governance in countries like Seychelles, which has now topped the index, along with Morocco, Ivory Coast, Benin, and Angola. Improvements in infrastructure driven by mobile communications, internet access, and energy have been significant. Additionally, strides towards women’s equality have been made, with enhanced protections against violence and increased representation in politics and leadership.
Despite these achievements, public perception of government performance has declined, particularly regarding economic opportunities, security, and poverty alleviation. Ibrahim suggests that this perception gap might stem from rising expectations and greater global awareness.
“This is problematic because if the public’s perception continues to decline, it leads to growing dissatisfaction,” Ibrahim warned. “That dissatisfaction breeds societal stress, ultimately leading to conflicts and other issues.”
