Once hailed as a model of clean governance, Botswana is now facing a troubling slide in its battle against corruption. The latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) for 2026 places Botswana sixth in Africa with a score of 57.8.
While the ranking remains relatively high, the country’s score has dropped by 8.6 points over the past decade, pushing it down three spots in the overall standings.
Anti-corruption is one of four sub-categories under the IIAG’s Security & Rule of Law pillar. This sub-category evaluates the effectiveness of measures taken to combat corruption across government institutions, administrative bodies, and the private sector. It is based on six indicators: Anti-Corruption Mechanisms; Absence of Corruption in State Institutions; Absence of Corruption in the Public Sector; Absence of Corruption in the Private Sector; Public Procurement Procedures; and Public Perception of Anti-Corruption.
The report expresses particular concern over Botswana’s current trajectory, labeling it as a state of “Increasing Deterioration.” This signals not only a worsening from 2016 but an acceleration of the decline since 2021. Botswana now joins Comoros, Liberia, South Africa, and Niger among the five countries showing the most severe downturns on the continent since 2016.
“The bottom five countries with the worst deteriorations since 2016 are Comoros, Liberia, South Africa, Niger and Botswana. Botswana (6th) and South Africa (15th) are still ranked comparatively high while Comoros (41st), Liberia (32nd) and Niger (29th) have deteriorated to the mid- or lower field,” the report states.
The data paints a stark contrast between Botswana and its neighbor South Africa. Both nations have seen their scores fall since 2016, but South Africa has begun to recover since 2021, while Botswana continues to slide.
Despite these setbacks, Botswana and South Africa remain among Africa’s top 20 countries for governance. Yet experts caution that Botswana’s longstanding reputation for integrity is at risk if it cannot halt this rapid decline.
The report’s six key metrics highlight how corruption is addressed in state institutions, the private sector, and how the public perceives these efforts. For Botswana, the message is clear: the gold standard for governance in Africa is starting to erode.
Within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the highest-scoring regional bloc for anti-corruption, only four of its 15 member states have improved their scores over the past decade.
Seychelles stands out as the island nation with the continent’s largest improvement, surging 26.3 points since 2016 to share the top spot with Rwanda. Yet the report flags “Warning Signs” for Seychelles, noting a slight dip since 2021 despite its long-term progress.
Angola is also spotlighted as one of Africa’s top five improvers, showing remarkable gains including a 32.1-point jump in Anti-Corruption Mechanisms and a 27.1-point rise in the Absence of Corruption in the Private Sector.
Meanwhile, the remaining 11 SADC members; including Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia, and South Africa; have seen their anti-corruption scores decline since 2016. Although South Africa and Namibia show signs of “Bouncing Back” with improvements since 2021, their 2025 scores remain below their 2016 levels.