Africa's general governance improves unevenly
Infrastructure, health, and education show gains, but security and rule of law decline.
Africa's general governance saw improvements between 2016 and 2025, despite global shocks, according to the IIAG 2026 report. Progress was uneven, driven by economic and human development gains in 44 countries, covering 68% of the continent's population. Infrastructure, in particular, advanced across 52 countries, representing 84% of the population, with mobile connectivity, energy, and internet access improving.
Education advanced in 34 countries (75% of the population) and health in 40 countries (87% of the population). However, security, rule of law, and participation declined in 34 and 31 countries respectively, affecting 78% and 60% of Africans. Despite this, security deterioration slowed from 2022, with 27 countries showing improvements.
The report also noted that 25 countries, home to nearly 47% of the population, achieved economic progress even as security worsened. Economic opportunities advanced more in countries with better security, seen in 20 nations representing 22% of the population.
Why it mattersAngola, like other African nations, experiences mixed governance progress, with gains in infrastructure and development offset by declines in security and rule of law.