Published: November 15, 2026
Key Facts
- Seychelles leads Africa on human development at 0.848. The figures are 2023 data from the United Nations Development Programme's 2025 Human Development Report, the latest ranking available.
- Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, ranks 29th of 54 countries at 0.560. Its life expectancy of 54.5 years is the lowest in Africa.
- The top two island nations combined score 1.654. That is more than the bottom two of the top ten combined, at 1.431.
- Seychelles scores 1.51 times Nigeria. Tunisia's life expectancy of 76.5 years is 22 years more than Nigeria's 54.5 years.
- South Africa, the continent's biggest economy by GDP, only ranks sixth at 0.741. Ghana and Kenya tie at 0.628, sharing 16th place.
| Rank | Country | HDI | World rank | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seychelles | 0.848 | 54 | Very high |
| 2 | Mauritius | 0.806 | 73 | Very high |
| 3 | Algeria | 0.763 | 96 | High |
| 4 | Egypt | 0.754 | 100 | High |
| 5 | Tunisia | 0.746 | 105 | High |
| 6 | South Africa | 0.741 | 106 | High |
| 7 | Gabon | 0.733 | 108 | High |
| 8 | Botswana | 0.731 | 111 | High |
| 9 | Libya | 0.721 | 115 | High |
| 10 | Morocco | 0.710 | 120 | High |
Source: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2025, Table 1 (2023 data). The Human Development Index runs from 0 to 1. Higher is better. Eswatini just misses the top ten at 0.695, in 11th place.
Only two African countries reach the very high group. Eight of the top ten sit in the high group. The other 44 countries fall in the medium group (21 countries) or the low group (23 countries). The top ten average 0.755. The average across all 54 countries is 0.580.
1. Seychelles, 0.848
Seychelles leads Africa by a clear gap. Its score of 0.848 is 0.042 ahead of Mauritius. It ranks 54th in the world. Children in Seychelles can expect 18.2 years of schooling, the most in Africa. Income per person stands at $29,195, also the highest in Africa. Life expectancy is 72.9 years. Seychelles also tops our ranking of Africa's most educated countries.
2. Mauritius, 0.806
Mauritius is the only other African country in the very high group. It ranks 73rd in the world. Life expectancy is 74.9 years. Income per person is $27,280. That is the second highest figure in Africa. Adults average 10.1 years of schooling.
3. Algeria, 0.763
Algeria leads North Africa on the index. Life expectancy is 76.3 years, the second highest in Africa. Children can expect 15.5 years of schooling, the second highest in the top ten. Income per person is $15,114. Algeria ranks 96th in the world.
4. Egypt, 0.754
Egypt ranks fourth, one place ahead of Tunisia. It is 100th in the world. Income per person is $16,218, the sixth highest in the top ten. Adults average 10.1 years of schooling. Life expectancy is 71.6 years. Egypt is also one of the continent's biggest economies, as our ranking of African economies showed.
5. Tunisia, 0.746
Tunisia has the longest life expectancy in Africa, at 76.5 years. That is 22 years more than Nigeria. Children can expect 14.7 years of schooling. Income per person is $12,011. Tunisia ranks 105th in the world.
6. South Africa, 0.741
South Africa is the continent's biggest economy, but it only ranks sixth here. Adults average 11.6 years of schooling, the most in the top ten. Life expectancy is 66.1 years, the lowest in the top ten. Income per person is $13,694. South Africa ranks 106th in the world.
7. Gabon, 0.733
Gabon ranks seventh at 0.733. Income per person is $18,854, the fourth highest in the top ten. Oil wealth lifts the income score. Life expectancy is 68.3 years. Adults average 9.7 years of schooling.
8. Botswana, 0.731
Botswana sits just 0.002 behind Gabon. Income per person is $16,984. Life expectancy is 69.2 years. Adults average 10.5 years of schooling. Botswana ranks 111th in the world.
9. Libya, 0.721
Libya ranks ninth at 0.721. Income per person is $19,831, the third highest in the top ten. Life expectancy is 69.3 years. Adults average 7.8 years of schooling. Libya ranks 115th in the world.
10. Morocco, 0.710
Morocco takes the last place in the top ten at 0.710. Life expectancy is 75.3 years, the third highest in the top ten. Children can expect 15.1 years of schooling. But adults average only 6.2 years of schooling, the lowest in the top ten. Income per person is $8,653, also the lowest in the top ten.
The giants left behind
Nigeria is the story of this ranking. Africa's most populous country sits 29th of 54, at 0.560. Its life expectancy of 54.5 years is the lowest in Africa. Income per person is $5,569, less than a fifth of Seychelles' $29,195. Seychelles scores 1.51 times Nigeria. Nigeria sits 0.150 below Morocco, the country in tenth place.
Tanzania sits one place behind Nigeria, in 30th at 0.555. Ghana and Kenya tie at 0.628 and share 16th place. Ethiopia, the continent's second most populous country, ranks 42nd at 0.497. DR Congo ranks 33rd at 0.522. South Sudan sits last of all 54 countries, at 0.388.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which African country has the highest human development in 2026?
Seychelles, with a Human Development Index score of 0.848. It ranks 54th in the world. Mauritius is second in Africa at 0.806.
What is the Human Development Index?
It is a score from 0 to 1 that combines three things: how long people live, how much schooling they get, and how much income they have. The United Nations Development Programme publishes it every year. A higher score means a higher level of human development.
Why does Nigeria rank so low on human development?
Nigeria ranks 29th of 54 at 0.560. Its life expectancy of 54.5 years is the lowest in Africa. Income per person is $5,569. Adults average 7.6 years of schooling. A big economy does not always mean long lives or long schooling.
How many African countries are in the very high human development group?
Two: Seychelles and Mauritius. Eight more sit in the high group. The other 44 African countries fall in the medium or low groups.
When will the next human development ranking come out?
The United Nations Development Programme will release its 2026 Human Development Report on 1 December 2026. This article uses the latest ranking available, the 2025 report with 2023 data.
Data Sources
- United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2025, Statistical Annex Table 1 (2023 data): Human Development Index and its components
- Wikipedia, List of African countries by Human Development Index (2025 report, 2023 data): List of African countries by Human Development Index
- UNDP, 2026 Human Development Report release announcement: 2026 Human Development Report to be released on 1 December
- African Exponent, Top 10 Most Developed African Countries in 2025 (HDI Ranking), 11 December 2025 (superseded by this article): Top 10 Most Developed African Countries in 2025
Methodology
This ranking uses the Human Development Index from the United Nations Development Programme's 2025 Human Development Report. The data year is 2023. It is the latest HDI available. The next edition, the 2026 report, is due on 1 December 2026. This article was published 15 November 2026.
The index combines three parts. Health is life expectancy at birth. Knowledge is expected years of schooling for children and mean years of schooling for adults. Living standards are gross national income per person, measured in 2021 purchasing power dollars. The index runs from 0 to 1. UNDP groups scores into four bands: very high (0.800 and above), high (0.700 to 0.799), medium (0.550 to 0.699) and low (below 0.550). All 54 African countries are ranked on the same 2023 data. No mixed vintages are used.
Western Sahara is not ranked. UNDP does not publish a Human Development Index value for it. Ghana and Kenya tie at 0.628 and share 16th place. Every derived claim in this article, including totals, averages and multiples, was recomputed by script from the table values above and matches.
This article supersedes the site's 2025 HDI ranking, published 11 December 2025. That article used the same 2025 report data but listed Tunisia above Egypt even though Egypt's score is higher. This edition corrects that order: Egypt ranks fourth at 0.754 and Tunisia fifth at 0.746.
