Kenya is among the lowest-ranked countries in the world in terms of good governance, according to a recent report.
The report, dubbed the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) 2025, placed Kenya in position 98 out of 120 national governments in one of the most comprehensive global indices of government effectiveness.
The report evaluates 35 indicators grouped into seven distinct pillars, which focus on both a government's capabilities and real-world outcomes. At the heart of the index is a focus on whether a government is built to 'help people rise', which is crucial, particularly for a developing country like Kenya.
Part of the reason Kenya underperformed in the rankings was that the CGGI's seven pillars revealed several critical areas the country needed to improve. The country's lowest score was in the Leadership and Foresight pillar, where it ranked 111th. This specific pillar measures a government's ability to lead ethically, plan long-term, adapt to changes, and foster innovation.
The other key area of concern was strong institutions, where Kenya ranked 102nd. This pillar examined the operational capacity of the public sector, including coordination, data capability, and the quality of bureaucracy.
Elsewhere, Kenya was ranked 101st in the Marketplace pillar, which focuses on how effectively a country supports investment, property rights, infrastructure, and regulatory stability.
Outcomes for citizens, an indicator that reflects the government's performance in delivering essential services such as education, healthcare, safety, income equality, and environmental protection, saw Kenya rank 95th.
In terms of legal and regulatory governance, Kenya ranked 96th, while the country's Global Influence and Reputation score was marginally better, at 93rd.
Interestingly, the highest score Kenya achieved was in Financial Stewardship, where it is ranked 85th, suggesting the country is performing relatively better in managing government debt, budgets, and public spending than other African countries.
From a broader African perspective, Africa has the lowest average governance score among all global regions assessed by the CGGI. Some countries have shown notable progress, but the overall trend has been downward from a regional outlook.
Out of the 28 African countries ranked in the index, only Tanzania and Rwanda improved their positions between 2021 and 2025, while the rest, including Kenya, either suffered a decline in governance or stagnated.
Singapore emerged top of the rankings for yet another year, with the CGGI report ranking the Asian country as having the best governance globally. Singapore leads in the pillars of Leadership & Foresight, Strong Institutions, Attractive Marketplace, and Helping People Rise.
An interesting dynamic is that Singapore established a bigger gap between itself and second-placed Denmark after scoring a perfect 1.000 in the Telecommunication Infrastructure Index, and is a front-runner in digital governance.
Besides Singapore and Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Luxembourg rounded off the top 10 nations with the best governance in 2025, in that order.
In Africa, Mauritius leads the region in the 2025 CGGI, ranked 51st globally, followed by Rwanda (63rd), Botswana (66th), Morocco (75th), and South Africa (77th).
Other notable performers include Tanzania (78th), Egypt (81st), Senegal (83rd), Ghana (89th), and Algeria (90th). Côte d’Ivoire (93rd), Namibia (94th), Benin (95th), and Tunisia (96th) are closely clustered. At the same time, Kenya trails behind at 98th, placing it below many of its regional peers and highlighting the governance challenges it continues to face.
