Namibia ranks among top democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Photo by Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images.

Namibia is one of the highest-rated countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of democratic performance. That is according to the Democracy Perception Index (DPI) 2025. The report, published by Nira Data in partnership with the Alliance of Democracies, surveyed over 111,000 people across 100 countries. Namibia scored an average of 3.17 out of 5, placing it just behind Senegal, which led the region with a score of 3.29.

Namibians identified improving living standards as the primary purpose of democracy, aligning with most respondents across Africa. However, the country’s performance was mixed across democratic indicators. While Namibians rated their democracy positively for the impact of elections and civic education, they expressed concerns about transparency, freedom of speech, and separation of powers—areas where the country scored lower.

Informal Settlement, Windhoek

The DPI highlights that, despite these challenges, the country maintains a relatively strong democratic reputation compared to other Sub-Saharan African nations, such as Zimbabwe (2.28) and Mozambique (2.45), where public dissatisfaction is higher. The findings come as Namibia continues to navigate its democratic journey, balancing economic development and governance reforms to meet public expectations.

This year’s Democracy Perception Index highlights a world standing at a pivotal
crossroads. That’s the sentiment by Dr. Nico Jaspers, CEO at Nira Dat. He adds that while over two-thirds of people worldwide still believe in the importance of democracy, there is growing concern about governments’ ability to improve living standards, manage economies, and ensure security.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chair of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation and former NATO Chief, said, “I’m not surprised that perceptions of the United States have fallen so sharply, although I find it reassuring that support for the rules-based international order remains strong around the world. The mixed views on defence spending and people’s willingness to defend their country are quite concerning, especially in Europe. We face serious threats to our security, and our governments must make the case to their voters for investing in our defences today, to ensure peace and freedom prevail. Every year, this poll confirms the same point: around the world people believe in democracy, but those fortunate to live in democracies are impatient for their governments to deliver.”

The index also highlights shifting global perceptions, with more countries now viewing China positively than the United States—a clear sign of changing public opinion across regions and political systems.

Dr. Nico Jaspers, CEO at Nira Data, emphasised, “Our mission with the Democracy Perception Index is to provide clear, data-driven insights that capture both the challenges and opportunities facing democracy today. We hope this report will enable policymakers, civil society, and engaged citizens worldwide to navigate these complexities and work together to renew and strengthen democratic institutions for the future.”

The Democracy Perception Index is the world’s biggest yearly survey on how people view democracy. This report was released just before the 2025 Copenhagen Democracy Summit to help guide conversations about the current state of democracy worldwide.