AI Governance: Ranking of the most mature African countries in 2026 (Lawyers Hub)
August 27th 2026
The ranking reveals a gaping chasm between policy development in the field of artificial intelligence and operational reality. All African sub-regions achieve their best performance in the “strategy and vision” pillar, but obtain the lowest scores in the “implementation and impact” pillar.
Rwanda, Nigeria and Benin are the countries with the most mature levels of artificial intelligence (AI) governance in Africa, according to a ranking published in July 2026 by Lawyers Hub, a pan-African think tank specializing in legal technology (Law-Tech) and digital policy.
The Africa AI Governance Index (AAIGI) assesses the AI governance capabilities of the continent’s 54 countries. The index evaluates all components of governance for this technology, which is rapidly transforming the way economies and societies function, including strategies, regulations, infrastructure, human skills, ethical safeguards, and regional cooperation.
It relies on 80 indicators derived from data collected directly from governments and several international and regional organizations, including the African Union, the International Telecommunication Union, and the World Bank. These indicators are divided into eight pillars: strategy and vision; governance and regulation; infrastructure and data; human capital; innovation and ecosystem; ethics and inclusion; regional integration; and implementation and impact. The first four pillars each carry a weight of 15%, while the last four carry 10%. This weighting reflects the fundamental role of strategies, regulations, infrastructure, and human skills in ensuring effective AI governance.
Only three countries have established AI governance
Rwanda has the highest level of AI governance maturity in Africa. This landlocked East African nation, which has made digital technologies a central pillar of its economic development strategy, achieved an overall score of 3.25 points. It is the only country to demonstrate strong consistency between its theoretical strategy and its practical implementation.
Nigeria occupies the second step of the podium with a score of 2.81 points, ahead of Benin (2.58 points).
Kenya ranks 4th with a score of 2.47 points, ahead of Morocco (2.38 points), Egypt (2.25), Ethiopia (2.22), Ghana (2.21), and Mauritius (2.20). Tunisia rounds out the top 10 with a score of 2.12 points.
(See the ranking of the 54 African countries below).
The three highest-ranked countries are the only ones in the category of countries with established AI governance, while 16 countries are in the category of states with developing governance, 29 have nascent governance and 6 have minimal or no governance.
On the other hand, no sub-region of the continent crosses the average of the rating scale (2 points). Regional averages range from 1.07 out of 4 (Central Africa) to a maximum of 1.56 (North Africa), which overall places the continent in a phase of “emerging” AI governance, but one that is still very fragile in terms of execution.
The most striking conclusion, however, remains the glaring gap between policy development and operational reality. All African sub-regions perform best in the “strategy and vision” pillar and receive the lowest scores in the “implementation and impact” pillar. While some fifteen states have adopted formal national AI policies and 24 are in the process of developing them, the execution of defined strategies and the existence of financially supported oversight bodies remain exceptionally rare.
Walid Kefi
Ranking of the best-performing African countries in terms of AI governance:
1-Rwanda (score 3.25 points)
2-Nigeria (2.81)
3-Benin (2.58)
4-Kenya (2,47)
5-Morocco (2.38)
6-Egypt (2.25)
7-Ethiopia (2,22)
8-Ghana (2,21)
9-Maurice (2.20)
10-Tunisia (2,12)
11-South Africa (2.10)
-Zimbabwe (2.10)
13-Gabon (2.05)
14-Ivory Coast (1.90)
15-Algeria (1.89)
16-Angola (1.82)
17-Republic of the Congo (1.73)
18-Tanzania (1.66)
19-Somalia (1.54)
20-DR Congo (1.49)
21-Lesotho (1,48)
22- Uganda (1.29)
-Zambia (1.29)
24-Cameroon (1.28)
25-Senegal (1.27)
26-Togo (1,26)
27-Burkina Faso (1.15)
28-Botswana (1,11)
-Libya (1.11)
-Malawi (1,11)
-Namibia (1.11)
32-Eswatini (1.07)
33-Mozambique (0.96)
34-Djibouti (0.93)
-Sao Tome & Principe (0.93)
36-Mauritania (0.91)
37-Cape Verde (0.90)
38-Gambia (0.87)
39-Seychelles (0.83)
40-Guinea (0.81)
41-Burundi (0.80)
42-Chad (0.75)
43-Niger (0.70)
44-Sierra Leone (0.67)
45-Madagascar (0.66)
46-Mali (0.63)
47-Equatorial Guinea (0.53)
-Guinea-Bissau (0.53)
49-Liberia (0.47)
50-South Sudan (0.42)
51-Sudan (0.23)
52-Central African Republic (0.21)
53-Comoros (0.18)
54-Eritrea (0.08)
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