The 2024 Mo Ibrahim Index on African Governance (IIAG) revealed Nigeria’s damning decline in critical areas of governance. The report ranked Nigeria as one of the eleven worst-governing countries on the African continent over the last ten years. Nigeria recorded an overall score of 47.7 per cent out of 100, going down three places from 30th position in Africa to 33rd out of 53 countries. This is one of the worst performances ever recorded by Nigeria since the IIAG was inaugurated in 2007.
Nigeria’s woeful governance performance has so many implications. It will jeopardize Nigeria’s ambition to lead the continent in economic and political spheres, just as it can also impact on the country’s national and international reputation. Unfortunately, Nigeria scored low marks in all critical parameters used in the assessment of governance. In security and rule of law, Nigeria recorded 39.7 per cent, 47.9 per cent in civil participation, rights and inclusion, 48.6 per cent and 46.4 per cent in economic opportunity and human development, respectively.
The low performance figures, when compared with the performance of key federal government institutions, the state governments and the 774 local government councils in terms of transparency and integrity index, reflects a broader systemic decline in governance across the country. A total of 49 independent sources, with verified data are used in the assessment of the public governance that was instituted in 2006 by Mo Ibrahim Foundation, founded by Sudanese-born British billionaire entrepreneur, Mohammed Fathi Ahmed Ibrahim. Undoubtedly, Nigeria has not had it this bad in years. Nigeria achieved its highest category score in participation and human rights in 2016, when it scored 52.5 per cent. It recorded its lowest category score in sustainable economic opportunity with a score of 42.3 per cent. It also achieved its highest sub-category score of 63.1 per cent in the rule of law in 2012, and its lowest sub-category score of 32.7 per cent in accountability. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s governance progress did not show signs of improvement in the last decade. Instead, governance index has deteriorated.
It is sad that governance has steadily depreciated in the country. It shows clearly that successive governments in the country have disappointed not only the citizens but also the continent as a whole that once looked upon Nigeria as a beacon of hope and inspiration in critical areas of governance. The 2024 IIAG report is not surprising. Governance at all levels is regressing rather than progressing. Over the last ten years, insecurity has worsened with the new terrorist group known as Lakurawa now on the prowl in some states in the North-West region. Economic hardship has undermined participatory democracy. While the masses are suffering, government officials are living in opulence. The federal and state governments should see the latest Mo Ibrahim Index on African Governance as a wake-up call to improve on governance deliverables. It is unacceptable that 13 African countries, especially Egypt, Madagascar, Botswana, Malawi, Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Somalia performed better than Nigeria in the governance index. According to the IIAG report, these countries had managed to follow a successful course of overall governance progress in the last decade, even accelerating improvement in critical governance metrics.
It is even sadder that countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, and Somalia, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Djibouti, Mauritius and Seychelles were ranked over Nigeria having made appreciable progress between 2014 and 2023. For example, in 2014, Nigeria was rated the “worst- governed” country in Africa after being ranked 37th, with a score of 45.8 per cent. That was lower than the African average of 51.5 per cent, and lower than the West African average score of 52.2 per cent. We bemoan Nigeria’s poor ranking and urge the political leaders to wake up and change the narrative. Without good governance, Nigeria will not achieve much in governance ranking or any major human development index.
Without any change of governance attitude, Nigeria will likely perform poorly in subsequent editions of the IIAG. No doubt, Nigeria’s current governance decline in Africa reflects its rating in the world. Without improvement in the economic wellbeing of the people, rule of law and security, domestic stability will be affected and Foreign Direct Investment will be constrained. The factors that led to the poor ranking, including corruption in government and other institutions as indicated in the report should be urgently addressed.