Kenya has fallen near the bottom of a global league table that measures how well governments serve their people. The 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) places Nairobi in 98th position out of 120 countries.
The annual study rates public sectors across 35 indicators, grouped into seven pillars that range from financial stewardship to the quality of basic services.
Its guiding question is simple: is a government built to help people rise?
Kenya’s weakest showing came in the Leadership and Foresight pillar, where it ranked 111th.
Analysts behind the index say this score reflects limited long-term planning, slow adaptation to change and concerns about ethical leadership.
Performance was also poor in Strong Institutions, a category that tests the day-to-day machinery of the civil service. Kenya landed 102nd after assessments of bureaucracy, data use and inter-agency coordination.
The Marketplace pillar, which tracks how well a country protects investors, property rights and infrastructure, saw Kenya finish 101st.
Outcomes for Citizens – a catch-all measure covering education, health, safety, equity and the environment – was marginally better at 95th.
Kenya’s best mark, 85th, came under Financial Stewardship.
The CGGI panel noted comparatively stronger management of budgets, debt and public spending, even though rising borrowing costs remain a domestic debate.
Regionally, Africa records the lowest average governance score of any continent evaluated by the CGGI.
Only Tanzania and Rwanda improved their positions between 2021 and 2025, while most peers either stagnated or fell.
Mauritius leads the continent at 51st globally, followed by Rwanda (63rd), Botswana (66th), Morocco (75th) and South Africa (77th).
Kenya’s 98th slot places it behind Tanzania (78th) and Ghana (89th), signifying the ground it must make up to match its neighbours.
Singapore retained the global crown for a second year, widening its margin over Denmark thanks to a perfect score in telecommunications infrastructure and a strong reputation for digital government.
Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Luxembourg round out the top ten.
The CGGI authors argue that good governance correlates closely with economic growth and social stability.
They urge countries in the lower half of the index to strengthen rule-making, invest in data-driven decision-making and plan beyond electoral cycles.
For Kenya, the report suggests that consistent leadership, better-resourced institutions and a predictable regulatory environment would be the fastest ways to climb the rankings. Whether those reforms materialise will be tested in next year’s index.
