IIAG 2026 preliminary data: Is Africa's democratic decline finally slowing?

Africa’s democratic record has deteriorated over the past decade, but preliminary analysis of the forthcoming 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) suggests that this decline may be starting to slow. The latest analysis of the Democratic Elections indicator shows that most of the deterioration occurred between 2018 and 2021, with the continental trend levelling out from 2023 and showing some limited improvement in 2024 and 2025. 

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This brief concludes the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s ongoing democracy series, which began with the NGN democracy survey and brought together contributions from the Foundation, NGN members, International IDEA and Afrobarometer, exploring youth perspectives, democratic models and what public opinion data tell us about the political systems African citizens want. 

Africa’s youth and democracy: “Give people a voice every day” — NGN democracy survey 

Out with the liberal, in with the local - guest brief by IDEA 

Africans’ commitment to democracy declines in the face of growing governance failures - guest brief by Afrobarometer 

Stop Exporting Democracy to Africa – Start Listening to What Africa Already Knows - guest post by NGN member Emmanuel Emole 

Democracy or Afrocracy? What young Africans actually want from democracy - guest post by NGN member Richard Kweitsu 

What public perception data tell us about the kind of political systems African citizens want? - post by Mo Ibrahim Foundation researcher Hoodo Richter