The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) highlights the importance of peace, justice, and strong institutions as key pillars of sustainable development. However, for African countries with poor SDG 16 ratings, the absence of these factors frequently presents considerable hurdles to their progress and stability.
Prejudice and widespread violence are common problems in societies with low SDG 16 ratings. Communities are uprooted, daily life is disrupted, and inhabitants are made to feel unsafe as a result of this instability.
Many citizens’ rights are not protected by inefficient legal systems. For countries with such realities, inequality becomes pervasive, and underprivileged people are more likely to be exploited and abused.
Furthermore, corruption flourishes in settings where institutions are not held accountable, which hinders enterprises. Uncertainty in the law and dangerous surroundings deter investment, which slows economic progress both at home and abroad.
The region’s general quality of life declines as a result of these problems, depriving many people of possibilities for upward mobility and essential services.
With that said, here are the top 10 African countries with the shakiest justice system, as per the most recent Financing Africa report, by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
Top 10 African countries with the least trustworthy legal system
| Rank | Country | SDG16 index scores |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chad | 29.4 |
| 2. | Ethiopia | 34.7 |
| 3. | Nigeria | 34.7 |
| 4. | Cameroon | 36.2 |
| 5. | Democratic Republic of Congo | 36.2 |
| 6. | Madagascar | 37.4 |
| 7. | South Sudan | 38.1 |
| 8. | Guinea | 39.0 |
| 9. | Somalia | 40.0 |
| 10. | Zimbabwe | 40.5 |
