Sub-Saharan Africa
When we compare how the world sees this region with how the region sees itself, it’s difficult to believe that we’re talking about the same places. It should be noted that only four countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are included in the Best Countries study this year, so we are providing a snapshot of regional perceptions. The countries included are Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Cameroon.
Our data suggests that most people outside the region have little detailed knowledge of most of these countries, with the exception of South Africa, and that what they do know is largely limited to sporting results.
The region’s countries are not yet known outside Sub-Saharan Africa for having strong consumer brands, and the perceived strengths of each country among fairly local audiences have not yet translated beyond the region. While these countries’ athletes win headlines for long-distance running, rugby and football, they generate less attention beyond the region for economic and social development, or attributes such as Entrepreneurship and Agility – despite a strong sense within the region that they have these strengths in abundance.
Overall, Sub-Saharan African countries place between 18 and 36 places higher when ranked by a local audience than by global respondents. Kenya has the most extreme difference, placing #32 out of 85 countries according to a local audience, and #68 by the rest of the world.
The biggest perception gap is around the Quality of Life; levels of safety, stability, and suitability for raising a family are much higher within the region than the external perception. Respondents in the region also rate these countries as much happier than the outside world does; Kenya and South Africa rate among the top 10 happiest countries in the world to Best Countries respondents in Africa, but rank in the bottom third of 85 countries for a global audience.
South Africa is a real-world demonstration of the principle that countries’ actions can change the way the world perceives them – and that a country’s nearest neighbours tend to notice changes first. The country’s 47-place surge up the global leadership ranking this year reflects its growing diplomatic influence. The country is fresh from hosting the 2025 G20 Summit, and has taken a peace-broking role that supports these shifting perceptions. South Africa’s rankings for trustworthiness and political stability have also shot up, but remain at far higher levels within the region than they do according to the wider world.
Results for the other African countries in Best Countries also suggest that while global audiences tend to see only the big picture of what’s happening in this region, more subtle, localised shifts are only really noticed – at least at first – by observers closest to the action. This disparity applies particularly to attributes like “not corrupt” and “transparent business practices”, suggesting local respondents possess a nuanced understanding often lost in broader global perceptions. Global audiences may still be influenced by historical narratives or macro-level challenges, missing the specific reforms and progress occurring on the ground.
The flip side of this is that a broad-brush view of the region leads outside observers to apply developments in one country to their perceptions of several. Cross-border trade agreements, growing investment in digital hubs, and a burgeoning tech start-up scene across the continent are influencing the world view on infrastructure and technological expertise in the region. Similarly, global recognition of double-Grammy winner Tyler, from South Africa, is likely to be elevating Cultural Influence and perceptions linked to innovation for multiple countries.
Dono White
Strategy Director, VML, South Africa
Business transparency and the standard of infrastructure in all four countries is far more positively viewed by a local audience than by global respondents, as are several other key signals of economic progress and maturity. The gaps suggest a lack of international awareness of current conditions in these markets.
Kenya, for instance, recently saw telecommunications giant Safaricom top 50 million customers, and revealed the continent’s first AI policy. Regional respondents rank the country as #64 in the world for having well-developed digital infrastructure; globally, it ranks 75th out of 85 countries.
Similarly, Ghana ranks 30 places higher overall on Best Countries among a local audience thanks to much higher regard within the region for the country’s cultural influence, adaptability, education system and the skills of its labour force. Outsiders see it as a country bogged down by bureaucracy and lacking economic stability; within Africa, respondents see things more positively, reflecting steady GDP growth and slowing inflation.
