Nigeria has ranked 116th in 2025 Chandler Good Government Index.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that Nigeria has been ranked 116th out of 113 countries in the 2025 edition of the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), highlighting persistent governance challenges across key sectors.
The report, published by the Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG), assessed countries on seven broad governance pillars. Nigeria performed poorly in most categories, underscoring systemic issues in leadership, institutional strength, and policy implementation.
According to the index, Nigeria ranked:
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110th in Leadership and Foresight
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112th in Robust Laws and Policies
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114th in Strong Institutions
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89th in Financial Stewardship
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114th in Attractive Marketplace
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112th in Global Influence and Reputation
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120th in Helping People Rise
Despite its relatively better performance in Financial Stewardship, Nigeria’s low scores in other areas point to the urgent need for reforms to strengthen public institutions and governance structures.
Africa’s Top Five Performers
The report placed Mauritius, Rwanda, Botswana, Morocco, and South Africa as the top five African countries, reflecting stronger governance frameworks and institutional resilience. Out of 28 African nations ranked, only Tanzania and Rwanda showed notable improvements since 2021, while most others including Nigeria saw declines.
“Countries in Africa have seen mixed performance across the CGGI pillars. While the region improved in Strong Institutions, it recorded declines in Financial Stewardship, Global Influence & Reputation, and Helping People Rise. Of most concern is Financial Stewardship, which continues to weaken as fiscal pressures mount and debt burdens increase,” the report stated.
Background
The Chandler Good Government Index, introduced in 2021, is considered the world’s most comprehensive measure of government effectiveness and capability. It provides a benchmark for evaluating how well governments serve their citizens.
Nigeria’s struggles with governance also align with recent findings from Transparency International (TI). In the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Nigeria ranked 140th out of 180 countries, reflecting persistent issues of public sector corruption despite marginal improvements over recent years.