Botswana makes gains in economic governance
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday November 4, 2026 06:00
The findings are contained in the 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) Report released in October. The report highlight Botswana's progress against a broader continental backdrop of mixed governance performance, where improvements in economic opportunity and human development have helped offset deteriorating conditions in security, the rule of law, rights, and political participation.
According to IIAG, Africa recorded slight progress in Overall Governance over the decade, largely driven by improvements in economic opportunity and human development. However, this progress masks significant differences in performance across the four dimensions of governance. Notably, Foundations for Economic Opportunity recorded the greatest improvement between 2016 and 2025, gaining 3.7 points.
Although the category started 1.9 points below the Overall Governance score in 2016, it has since surpassed it, standing one point higher at the end of the period. The report further indicates that progress in economic opportunity accelerated particularly from 2021, highlighting its growing contribution to the continent's overall governance performance. Similarly, Human Development registered consistent improvement over the decade, gaining 2.5 points and remaining the best-performing governance category throughout the period. However, the gains in these two areas were accompanied by worrying setbacks in other governance dimensions. Security and Rule of Law, which was initially close to the average Overall Governance score in 2016, began deteriorating in 2018, recording a cumulative decline of 1.7 points by 2025. Meanwhile, Participation, Rights and Inclusion also experienced a downward trajectory from 2020, with the deterioration accelerating from 2022. The category lost one point over the decade. Despite these setbacks, improvements in economic opportunity and human development were sufficient to outweigh the losses recorded in security, rule of law, rights, and participation, leaving Africa's 2025 Overall Governance score slightly higher than its 2016 level. For Botswana, the findings are particularly significant, as the country features amongst 15 African states that recorded improvements in Foundations for Economic Opportunity despite an overall decline in governance performance. The other countries include Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Tunisia, and Uganda. Furthermore, 12 countries recorded improvements in Human Development despite experiencing an overall decline in governance. These include Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Tunisia, and Uganda. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that economic opportunity and human development have continued to improve in several African countries, even as other critical governance areas experience setbacks. The report notes that in 21 countries, improvements in economic opportunity and/or human development persisted despite deteriorating security, rule of law, rights and participation.