Only six African countries have been included in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, with South Africa reclaiming its position as the continent’s most competitive economy and Nigeria ranking near the bottom of the 70 economies assessed globally.
The ranking by Switzerland-based IMD Business School evaluates how effectively economies create conditions for businesses to compete, using four broad areas: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.
IMD said its 2026 edition covers 70 economies, with Vietnam joining the ranking this year.
South Africa led the African group, rising 10 places to 54th globally with an overall score of 50.16 points. Its improvement pushed it ahead of Kenya, which had been Africa’s top-ranked economy in 2025.
Kenya placed second in Africa and 55th globally, followed by Ghana in 64th, Botswana in 66th, Nigeria in 68th and Namibia in 69th.
