Region

Africa

Democracy

8.49%

of region’s population

Hybrid Authoritarian

27.84%

of region’s population

Fully Authoritarian

63.50%

of region’s population

Source: Tyranny Tracker

Overview

Angola

Benin

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Cote D’Ivoire

Democratic Republic of Congo

Djibouti

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Gabon

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mauritania

Mozambique

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Somalia

South Africa

South Sudan

Sudan

Swaziland

Tanzania

The Gambia

Togo

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

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A Democracy Index Built to Inform Action

Africa's Publications

Human Rights Dispatch

Sep 22, 2026

NGOs Urge Action on Xi Jinping, Tanzania Faces Legitimacy Crisis, Alex Saab Pleads Guilty, and more.

Ahead of Vietnamese President To Lam’s upcoming visit to New York in September, HRF co-signs a joint letter with @PENamerica @pressfreedom @RSF_inter and other organizations to @SecRubio , urging the US Department of State to call for the release of Vietnamese writers and journalists Le Huu Minh Tuan, Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, and Pham Doan Trang.

Sep 21, 2026

How Tanzania’s Flawed 2025 Election Produced a Crisis of Legitimacy

Nine months after Tanzania’s general elections, the regime is still using prosecution to try and neutralize those it claims to have defeated at the polls. On July 25, opposition party Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) said 51 of its officials had been arrested and charged with terrorism in connection with demonstrations planned for earlier in the month.

Human Rights Dispatch

Sep 17, 2026

Zambia Cancels Passports of 6 Government Critics

HRF condemns the Zambian regime’s arbitrary cancellation of the passports of six government critics along with the stripping of nationality from two others. HRF calls for these grave abuses of administrative powers—imposed without due process—to be lifted immediately and for Hakainde Hichilema’s regime to end its ongoing, politically-motivated crackdown on dissent.

Human Rights Dispatch

Sep 16, 2026

NGOs Urge Xi Jinping to End Repression, Mali Sentences Critics, and more.

HRF condemns prison sentences imposed last month by Malian courts on four prominent public opinion leaders for public criticisms of the military regime of Gen. Assimi Goïta. HRF calls for their convictions to be overturned and for their immediate release.

Reports

The CCP’s Deepening Footprint in Latin America and the Stakes for Democracy in the Region

Following a period of U.S. retreat that lasted until the end of 2025, and amid an ongoing realignment of the international democratic bloc, illiberal actors — particularly China, Russia, and their closest allies — continue to look for opportunities to gain influence and undermine institutions to their advantage, especially in middle-income countries, where American actions are viewed with disdain and alliances with alternative powers are seen as economic opportunities.

AI for Activists: A Guide to Supercharging Your Movement with Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often described as the most transformative technology of our time. Its meteoric development is reshaping industries, economies, and the way people work, communicate, and create. Governments are investing billions of dollars into it. Corporations are racing to build ever more capable AI systems. News headlines alternate between promises of extraordinary breakthroughs and warnings about existential risks.

Manipulation of Sustainable Development: Framing of the UN SDGs by Authoritarian Regimes

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are global sustainability benchmarks adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to guide an inclusive and sustainable transformation by 2030.

How the Regime in Equatorial Guinea Exploits Football

Equatorial Guinea’s regime has strategically exploited the global appeal of football as a political tool.