Across Africa, the strength and effectiveness of central governments vary significantly. While some nations demonstrate robust and stable governance, others struggle with instability, corruption, and weak administrative structures.
This disparity is reflected in the Fragile States Index (FSI), which ranks 178 countries based on various pressures affecting their levels of fragility. While many African nations face challenges associated with weak central governments, others excel in maintaining strong governance.
The FSI, developed using The Fund for Peace’s Conflict Assessment System Tool (CAST), measures the fragility of central governments. A lower index score indicates a stronger and more stable government.
Based on this index, here are the top 10 African countries with the strongest central governments:
Rank Country Fragility Index Global Fragility Rank
1 Mauritius 38.0 154th
2 Seychelles 53.3 128th
3 Botswana 55.3 122nd
4 Cabo Verde 60.1 114th
5 Namibia 60.3 112th
6 Ghana 62.3 107th
7 Gabon 65.5 99th
8 Tunisia 66.4 96th
9 Morocco 68.2 90th
10 São Tomé and PrÃncipe 69.7 86th
Methodology
The Fragile States Index is based on the CAST framework, a conflict assessment tool widely used by policymakers, field experts, and community organizations. This tool evaluates vulnerability and its potential impact on governance and development efforts.
Twelve conflict risk indicators are considered to assess a state’s fragility:
Security Apparatus
Factionalized Elites
Group Grievance
Economic Decline
Uneven Economic Development
Human Flight and Brain Drain
State Legitimacy
Public Services
Human Rights and Rule of Law
Demographic Pressures
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
External Intervention
These indicators provide a comprehensive picture of a country’s stability and governance capacity.
