Malawi Rises to 20th in Africa Governance Index

Malawi has improved its ranking in the 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, moving to 20th out of 54 African countries. This progress comes after a decade of uneven reforms, persistent economic challenges, and political changes. The index, published by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in October 2026, shows that Malawi is among 18 countries that have demonstrated improvement since 2021.

Malawi's overall governance score has increased from 45.9 in 2016 to 52.9 in 2025, surpassing the continental average of 50.1. The country has performed strongly in accountability and transparency, ranking sixth in Africa. This improvement is attributed to open institutions, audit scrutiny, media freedom, and civic pressure, which have kept public officials under public scrutiny.

In terms of rule of law and justice, Malawi ranks 10th on the continent. The country's courts, legal safeguards, and judicial independence remain comparatively strong, despite many African countries experiencing declines in this governance area. Additionally, Malawi has excelled in the rural economy, ranking fourth in Africa. Agricultural reforms, market access, and rural services have supported livelihoods despite climate shocks, debt pressures, and fiscal constraints.

A separate World Justice Project Index also gives Malawi a positive assessment, scoring the country 0.52 in 2026. This represents an increase of 0.6 percent from the previous year, making Malawi one of Africa's leading one-year improvers in rule of law. However, citizens expect improved governance to translate into tangible benefits, such as jobs, food security, better health services, and affordable living.

Despite the positive rankings, political analysts and human rights defenders have called for stronger action on corruption, improved service delivery, and greater economic opportunities. Political Science Association secretary general Mabvuto Bamusi emphasized the need to strengthen accountability, particularly in implementing the Access to Information law and fighting corruption.

Bamusi also highlighted the importance of transparency in public procurement, especially in the construction and health sectors. He further called for stronger cooperation among the three arms of government, citing strained relationships due to recent disagreements. Human rights defender Benedicto Kondowe cautioned against interpreting the rankings as proof that governance standards have improved or that public institutions are adequately addressing citizens' concerns.

In comparison to previous years, Malawi ranked 19th out of 54 African countries in 2024 and eighth among the 16 countries in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region. However, in this year's Index, Malawi has moved up to seventh in the Southern Africa Development Community. Efforts to obtain comments from the government and opposition were unsuccessful, as key officials did not respond to phone calls.

Key points

• Malawi ranks sixth in Africa for accountability and transparency.
• The country's overall governance score improved from 45.9 in 2016 to 52.9 in 2025.
• Malawi moved up to seventh in the Southern Africa Development Community.