GUINEA-BISSAU · GOVERNANCE
Key Facts
- The ranking Guinea-Bissau is 45th of 54 African countries in the 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
- The score It scores 39.4 out of 100, down 2.2 points since 2016; Africa’s average is 50.1.
- The trend The Mo Ibrahim Foundation labels the trend “Increasing Deterioration”: worse than 2016, and worsening faster since 2021.
- Mixed picture Security and rule of law and economic foundations fell, while human development improved.
- Context Soldiers seized power in Guinea-Bissau on 26 November 2025, during the last year the index covers.
Guinea-Bissau governance has slipped to 45th of 54 African countries in the 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, five places lower than in 2016. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation, a London-based group that tracks African governance, released the ranking on Saturday 31 October 2026.
The small West African nation scores 39.4 out of 100, below Africa’s average of 50.1. For US readers, the ranking is a yardstick for risk in a country now run by a military-led transition.
What the 2026 Ibrahim Index Says About Guinea-Bissau
The Ibrahim Index of African Governance measures how well governments deliver security, rights, economic opportunity and public services. The 2026 edition covers all 54 African countries and the ten years from 2016 to 2025.
Guinea-Bissau’s score of 39.4 is 2.2 points lower than in 2016. The Foundation places the country 45th, which puts it in the bottom ten of the table.
Libya sits one place below at 46th with 38.8, and Chad is 47th with 36.9. South Sudan is last at 54th with 20.4.
Seychelles tops the list with 78.6, followed by Mauritius at 75.0 and Cabo Verde at 70.3. Cabo Verde, a Portuguese-speaking island nation, is the best-placed country that shares Guinea-Bissau’s official language.
A Decline That Is Speeding Up
The Foundation sorts every country into a trend group. Guinea-Bissau is in “Increasing Deterioration”, which means its score is worse than in 2016 and the pace of decline has risen since 2021.
The Foundation lists Guinea-Bissau among the countries that had a coup in the period. Soldiers took power in Bissau, the capital, on 26 November 2025, and a military High Command has governed since.
Our earlier report on the country and its West African neighbours explains the setting. A recent story on a rights group’s call to free five detainees shows the rights questions the transition faces.
Where Guinea-Bissau Gained and Lost Ground
The index scores four broad areas. Guinea-Bissau fell in Security and Rule of Law and in Foundations for Economic Opportunity, which covers business conditions and public finances.
It improved in Human Development, a group that includes health and education. The Foundation says Guinea-Bissau is one of only a dozen countries that gained there despite a falling overall score.
Within the Security and Rule of Law group, the country ranks 8th of 54 on Security and Safety. It ranks 36th on Rule of Law and Justice and 34th on Accountability and Transparency.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is a non-profit set up by Sudanese-British businessman Mo Ibrahim to track how Africa is governed. It publishes the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, known as the IIAG, every two years.
The High Command is the group of military officers that announced it had taken control of Guinea-Bissau on 26 November 2025. A transitional government under it has run the country since.
A score of 100 would mean the best possible governance, and 0 the worst. The ranking compares each country with the other 53.
What It Means for You
Governance scores are one yardstick that lenders, aid agencies and companies use to judge risk in a country. A bottom-ten ranking can add caution for anyone weighing projects or trade in Guinea-Bissau.
Travellers should read the US State Department’s current Guinea-Bissau advice before any trip. The index does not change that advice, but it describes the same weak institutions.
What Is Not Known
The Foundation’s published figures do not say how much of the 2016 to 2025 decline came from the November 2025 takeover itself. Scores for 2026 will not exist until the next edition.
It is also not yet clear whether the transition will deliver the elections its leaders have promised. The ranking cannot show how fast any recovery might come.
More: Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Guinea-Bissau rank in the 2026 Ibrahim Index?
Guinea-Bissau is 45th of 54 African countries, with an overall score of 39.4 out of 100. That is 2.2 points lower than in 2016.
What does Increasing Deterioration mean?
It means a country’s score is worse in 2025 than in 2016. The rate of decline has also risen since 2021.
Which African countries rank highest?
Seychelles is first with 78.6, followed by Mauritius with 75.0 and Cabo Verde with 70.3. Botswana and South Africa complete the top five.
Did anything improve in Guinea-Bissau?
Yes, Human Development improved, even as the overall score fell. Security and rule of law and economic foundations both declined.
Sources: Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Index Report, October 2026; Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2026 IIAG Key Findings, October 2026; Mo Ibrahim Foundation, announcement of the 2026 index launch on 31 October, 1 July 2026; IIAG data portal, accessed 5 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief