Botswana and Liberia have made progress in protecting civic freedoms, but the situation has worsened in Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
- Business Insider Africa presents the worst African countries for civic freedom in 2025.
- The list is courtesy of CIVICUS Monitor.
- Across sub-Saharan Africa, press freedom and civil liberties remain under severe strain, with journalists and activists facing increasing threats.
Civic space in Africa is a battleground where governments, activists, and citizens struggle over fundamental freedoms.
While some countries continue to uphold rights such as free speech and peaceful assembly, others are tightening restrictions through censorship, protest crackdowns, and strict regulations on civil society groups.
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In the past year, Botswana and Liberia have made progress in protecting civic freedoms, but the situation has worsened in Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Kenya. In Burkina Faso, the aftermath of the September 2022 military coup has brought increased repression.
Press freedom has suffered under the junta led by Ibrahim Traoré, with at least 12 media outlets shut down since October 2023 for reporting on security issues. Journalists and activists now operate in an environment of fear, as the government silences critical voices.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, press freedom and civil liberties remain under severe strain, with journalists and activists facing increasing threats.
Over the past year, the detention of journalists has been the most widespread violation of civic space, followed by physical attacks, the detention of human rights defenders (HRDs), the arrest of protesters, and outright censorship.
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In at least 17 countries, authorities have used arbitrary arrests to intimidate and silence HRDs, particularly those advocating for democracy, environmental protection, and labour rights.
Governments frequently deploy legal harassment, extended pretrial detentions, and vague charges such as “spreading false information” or “threatening national security” to stifle dissent.
Below are the worst African countries for civic freedom in 2025:
| Rank | Country | Civic space score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ERITREA | 2 |
| 2 | EQUATORIAL GUINEA | 17 |
| 3 | ESWATINI | 19 |
| 4 | DJIBOUTI | 19 |
| 5 | ETHIOPIA | 20 |
| 6 | SUDAN | 21 |
| 7 | BURUNDI | 23 |
| 8 | SOUTH SUDAN | 25 |
| 9 | RWANDA | 25 |
| 10 | CHAD | 26 |
| 11 | CAMEROON | 26 |
