Mauritius leads Africa in economic freedom

According to a ranking published on October 6, 2026 by the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think tank focused on promoting free trade and the market economy, the Republic of Mauritius is the most "economically free" country in Africa.

Ranking measures economic freedom globally

Titled Economic Freedom of the World 2026, the ranking assesses the degree of freedom with which individuals and businesses make economic decisions across 165 countries and territories.

Indicators used to assess freedom

The ranking is based on 46 indicators, including tax rates, the state's control over assets, judicial independence, private property laws, money supply growth, access to foreign currency accounts, tariff rates, non-tariff barriers, bank ownership, bureaucratic costs, and labor regulations.

Categories group the indicators

These indicators are grouped into five major categories: the state's role in the economy, the legal system and property rights, monetary stability, freedom of foreign trade, and regulatory density. Each indicator is scored on a scale from 0 to 10 points.

Mauritius scores highly in key areas

The Republic of Mauritius ranks first in Africa and 9th globally, with an overall score of 7.97 points. It performs best in monetary stability (9.06 points) and freedom of foreign trade (8.76 points).

Other African countries follow

Seychelles ranks second in Africa, followed by Cape Verde, The Gambia, Botswana, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa. Morocco completes the African Top 10.

Global rankings highlight Hong Kong

Globally, Hong Kong remains the freest economy with a score of 8.53 points, ahead of Switzerland, Singapore, New Zealand, and the United States.

Economic freedom linked to benefits

The ranking suggests that people in countries with higher economic freedom experience greater prosperity, more political and civil liberties, and longer life expectancy.

Freedom promotes economic success

The close link between economic freedom and prosperity is attributed to the effectiveness of economic agents when they have the right to initiative and are motivated to work, invest, and save.