In the latest World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, Nigeria’s standing has dropped to 120th out of 142 globally, marking a two-point decline from the previous year.
The report, released in Washington DC, highlights Nigeria as the second worst in sub-Saharan security, ranking 33rd out of 34 countries. Notably, Nigeria’s constraints on government powers showed improvement, ranking 85th globally and 14th regionally.
Despite a slight score increase, Nigeria’s overall decline aligns with the global trend, where 74% of countries witnessed reduced constraints on government powers. The report emphasizes a worldwide rule of law recession, characterized by executive overreach and human rights curtailment.
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In specific indicators, Nigeria faces challenges, notably ranking 121st globally for the absence of corruption, 104th for open government, and 139th for order and security globally. The sub-Saharan region’s top performer is Rwanda, while Nigeria lags behind at 23rd out of 34 countries.
Since 2016, the rule of law has declined in 78% of studied countries, with fundamental rights experiencing the most significant drop. The World Justice Project uses extensive surveys to compile the index, providing a comprehensive assessment of global adherence to the rule of law.