Legatum Prosperity Index 2026 places Mauritius at top of Africa

The Legatum Institute released its 2026 Prosperity Index, ranking 167 nations on development, freedom and social cohesion across ten pillars such as health, education, governance and economic freedom. The index introduces a new “average‑p” calculation that penalises countries with major weaknesses in any pillar.

Switzerland tops the global list, while Mauritius is the highest‑ranked African country at 45th worldwide. Botswana (70th), Tunisia (75th), Morocco (76th), Namibia (77th), Algeria (83rd), South Africa (86th), Ghana (88th), Gabon (93rd) and Senegal (100th) complete the top ten African positions.