The rule of law declined in 28 of the 38 African countries covered by the index, amidst a context marked by rising authoritarianism, a shrinking civic space, and the weakening of judicial independence. However, eight countries on the continent defied this trend, proving that improvement remains possible.

Rwanda ranks highest in Africa for the rule of law, according to the World Justice Project (WJP), a non-governmental organization that promotes the rule of law globally. The WJP released its Rule of Law Index 2025 on Tuesday, October 28.

Rwanda has retained its top position in Africa since the 2021 report, with an overall score of 0.63 out of 1.0, where 1.0 indicates the strongest adherence to the rule of law. The country, often referred to as the “land of a thousand hills,” ranked 39th globally this year, driven by strong scores in Order and Security (0.85), Absence of Corruption (0.69), and Civil Justice (0.65).

The index defines the rule of law as a stable system of laws, institutions, norms, and public commitment that ensures four universal principles: accountability, just laws, open government, and accessible, impartial justice.

To measure performance across 143 countries, the index uses 44 indicators grouped under eight categories: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice. The WJP also draws on national surveys of more than 215,000 households and 4,100 legal professionals, experts, and academics to gauge how the rule of law is experienced in daily life around the world.

Global decline in rule of law

Namibia, with an overall score of 0.61 and a global rank of 45th, came second in Africa, followed by Mauritius (47th globally), Botswana (50th), Senegal (58th), South Africa (60th), Ghana (63rd), Malawi (71st), and Tunisia (85th). Algeria (88th globally) rounded out Africa’s top 10.

Globally, Denmark maintained the strongest adherence to the rule of law, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden, and New Zealand. The rule of law declined worldwide for the eighth consecutive year, with 68% of countries recording lower scores in 2025, compared with 57% in 2024.

In Africa, the rule of law weakened in 2025, mainly due to weaker regulatory enforcement, reduced transparency, and growing authoritarian trends such as weakened checks and balances, shrinking civic space, and political interference in judicial systems.

Of the 38 African countries assessed, 28 recorded declines and two remained stable, while eight improved their scores, showing that progress is still possible.

The sharpest declines were recorded in Sudan (-4.4%), Mozambique (-3.9%), Togo (-2.9%), Tunisia (-2.7%), Niger (-2.7%), Ethiopia (-2.4%), Mali (-2.2%), and Burkina Faso (-2%).

 The strongest improvements came from Senegal (+1.6%), Sierra Leone (+1.4%), Gabon (+1.3%), Botswana (+1%), Madagascar (+0.7%), and Morocco (+0.4%).

Walid Kéfi 

African Rule of Law Rankings (2025)

Full ranking of the 38 African countries covered by the index: