Top 50 Most Peaceful Countries in Africa in 2025, Nigeria’s Position Trends

• Although conflict is on the rise globally, Mauritius, Botswana, and Namibia remain Africa’s most peaceful nations in 2025
• Mauritius secured 26th place globally, with Botswana ranking 43rd, while Namibia came third on the continent, holding the 50th position worldwide
• Nigeria's broader challenges around security and societal safety continue to heavily affect its overall peace ranking, according to the latest data

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Mauritius, Botswana, and Namibia are Africa’s most peaceful nations in 2025, according to the latest Global Peace Index released on Wednesday, June 18, by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

The index monitors peace trends across 163 countries and territories, representing 99.7% of the global population. It employs 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators, grouped into three key categories: safety and security (including terrorism and homicide rates), the extent of ongoing conflict (such as civil wars or cross-border disputes), and militarisation (including defence spending, troop numbers, and access to nuclear weapons).

Each country is assigned a score ranging from 0, indicating ideal peace, to 5, signifying extreme violence.

Mauritius leads Africa for 18th consecutive year

According to Global Peace Index data 2025, Mauritius ranked 26th globally with a score of 1.586, maintaining its position as the most peaceful country in Africa for the 18th straight year.

The Indian Ocean Island outperformed several developed nations, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.

Botswana followed in 43rd place globally, securing the second position in Africa. Namibia ranked third on the continent and 50th worldwide. Other countries in Africa’s top 10 include The Gambia (55th), Sierra Leone (57th), Madagascar (59th), Ghana (61st), Zambia (64th), Senegal (69th), and Liberia (70th).

African countries experience decline in peace

Out of the 50 African countries evaluated in the index, 26 saw a decline in peace compared to 2024. Twenty-two countries improved, and two remained unchanged.

The global economic cost of violence reached $19.97 trillion last year, representing 11.6% of global GDP.

Iceland continues to hold the title of the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has maintained since 2008. Ireland and New Zealand complete the top three. At the bottom of the index are Russia and Ukraine, both significantly affected by the ongoing conflict.

50 most peaceful African countries

Legit.ng presents Africa’s 50 most peaceful countries in 2025 by global ranking:

1. Mauritius (26)
2. Botswana (43)
3. Namibia (50)
4. The Gambia (55)
5. Sierra Leone (57)
6. Madagascar (59)
7. Ghana (61)
8. Zambia (64)
9. Senegal (69)
10. Liberia (70)
11. Malawi (71)
12. Tanzania (73)
13. Angola (76)
14. Tunisia (81)
15. Equatorial Guinea (82)
16. Morocco (85)
17. Rwanda (91)
18. Algeria (92)
19. Côte d’Ivoire (94)
20. Eswatini (99)
21. Guinea-Bissau (101)
22. Republic of Congo (103)
23. Egypt (107)
24. Mauritania (110)
25. Benin (112)
26. Uganda (113)
27. Zimbabwe (114)
28. Gabon (117)
29. Guinea (118)
30. Lesotho (119)
31. Mozambique (121)
32. Djibouti (122)
33. South Africa (124)
34. Togo (126)
35. Kenya (127)
36. Libya (131)
37. Eritrea (132)
38. Burundi (133)
39. Chad (134)
40. Cameroon (137)
41. Ethiopia (138)
42. Niger (143)
43. Nigeria (148)
44. Central African Republic (150)
45. Somalia (151)
46. Burkina Faso (152)
47. Mali (154)
48. South Sudan (156)
49. DR Congo (160)
50. Sudan (161)

Read related articles here:

• List of world's happiest countries released, Nigeria in strong position
• World Happiness report: See where Nigeria ranks in 2018

Countries with the strongest military in 2025

In another development, Legit.ng reported that the 2025 Military Strength Rankings by Global Firepower assessed 145 countries, taking into account over 60 individual factors such as troop numbers, military equipment, financial stability, geographical location, and available resources.

These factors contribute to a PowerIndex score, where a lower score indicates greater military strength.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng