The 2018 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) is now online and it covers ten years’ worth of data from 2008-2017 inclusive for 54 African countries. The report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation reveals African governments have failed to translate economic growth into improved sustainable economic opportunity for their citizens.
Economic growth in #Africa has not led to economic opportunity for Africans. Learn more about the 2018 #IIAG key findings at https://t.co/hZgdf0bvl0 pic.twitter.com/eAW0dbDtZU
— Mo Ibrahim Fdn (@Mo_IbrahimFdn) October 29, 2018
We read on the Foundation website African governance progress is lagging behind demographic growth and youth expectations:
Calling for attention is the trajectory of the African average score for Business Environment. Deteriorating by almost -5.0 points over the last ten years, this is a worrying trend given that the number of working age Africans (15-64 years old) is expected to grow by almost another 30% over the next ten years.
Further cause for concern is Education. While Human Development is one of the bigger success stories of the 2018 IIAG, driven by improvements in Health, the stalling progress in Education seen in last year’s Index has now turned to decline. For 27 countries, Education scores registered deterioration in the last five years, meaning that for more than half (52.8%) of Africa’s youth population, education outcomes are worsening.
The report also indicates African countries show increasing divergence in Overall Governance performance:
African countries show increasing divergence in Overall Governance performance. Continental progress is mainly driven by 15 countries that have managed to accelerate their pace of improvement over the last five years.
Divergence is also reflected in Sustainable Economic Opportunity trends. While 27 of Africa’s countries have shown some improvement – in 25 countries, accounting for 43.2% of Africa’s citizens, Sustainable Economic Opportunity performance has declined over the last ten years.
As usual, the report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation is very detailed and gathered a lot of data. It provides great information on governance progress and performance but now we know the data, we have to work and find the solution for the economic growth in Africa to lead to economic opportunity for Africans. At last.
You can read full report on this page. Watch the video below to see Mo Ibrahim discussing the data findings in the 2018 Ibrahim Index of African Governance:
