Preliminary 2026 IIAG findings: Anti-Corruption shows signs of recovery

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has released a new data brief presenting preliminary findings from the 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) on Anti-Corruption. Covering the period 2016-2025, the analysis shows that while Africa's average Anti-Corruption score has edged up slightly over the decade, this masks a more complex trajectory: an initial decline until 2020 followed by a sustained recovery in recent years. 

The report highlights significant differences across countries. Although Anti-Corruption has improved in 26 countries, these account for just over 40% of Africa's population, while deterioration in 28 countries affects almost 60% of Africans. At the same time, many countries are showing signs of recovery, with one in five Africans living in countries classified as demonstrating 'Increasing Improvement'. Rwanda and Seychelles jointly lead the continental ranking, while Seychelles records the largest improvement over the decade.

Beyond country rankings, the brief examines regional trends, changes across the six Anti-Corruption indicators and developments in countries that have experienced military coups since 2020. As part of a series of preliminary analyses ahead of the full 2026 IIAG release , the report provides an early assessment of one of the Index's core governance dimensions and the evolving state of anti-corruption efforts across Africa.