• Kenya tops African entries in 2025 IMD ranking at 56th globally.

• Botswana, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, and Namibia also ranked.

• Rankings mix data and executive views on economy and governance.

Six African countries ranked among the world’s most competitive economies in the 2025 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, released Tuesday, June 17, by Switzerland’s IMD Business School.

The ranking evaluates 69 economies using four key criteria economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. The Lausanne-based institute notes that competitiveness cannot be reduced to GDP, productivity, or employment levels. It must be assessed through a complex matrix of political, social, and cultural dimensions. Economic competitiveness, the institute adds, is synonymous with quality of life, with governments playing as vital a role as businesses.

Each country’s overall score, measured on a scale from 0 to 100, combines statistical data, which accounts for two-thirds of the score, and perceptions from 6,162 business executives, making up the remaining third. The statistical data covers 170 metrics, including GDP growth, export volumes, literacy rates, business climate, digital infrastructure, and public finances. The executive survey adds insight into less tangible factors such as corruption, tax policy, and the availability of skilled labor.

Kenya ranks as the most competitive African economy at 56th place globally, making its debut in the ranking with a score of 48.3. The country performed particularly well in business efficiency, ranking 38th worldwide.

Botswana comes second in Africa with 46.1 points, despite slipping four spots to 59th globally. The natural resource-rich country has consistently scored well in government efficiency and fiscal discipline.

Ghana follows at 61st globally, ahead of South Africa at 64th, Nigeria at 67th, and Namibia at 68th.

Globally, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Denmark, and the United Arab Emirates lead the competitiveness rankings. The United States, the world’s largest economy, ranks 13th, while China is placed 16th.