Leading the list of countries in the “low human development” category is Somalia, with an HDI score of 0.380, ranked 193rd, the lowest globally. Notably, Nigeria and Rwanda shared HDI score of 0.548, both ranking 161st globally, placing them in the “low human development” category.
When we think about the progress of a country, it’s easy to look at things like economic growth or infrastructure development. But there’s more to it than just numbers and buildings.
The Human Development Index (HDI) takes a deeper look at how well a country is doing in terms of health, education, and quality of life for its people. It’s a way to measure not just how rich or powerful a nation is, but how well it’s supporting the well-being of its citizens.
Countries fall into four HDI categories: very high, high, medium, and low human development.
While a few African nations rank within the medium or high development categories, the majority of countries fall under low human development.
In Africa, Seychelles stands out as the only country in the “very high” human development category.
Notably, Nigeria and Rwanda shared the same Human Development Index (HDI) score of 0.548, both ranking 161st globally, placing them in the “low human development” category.
Leading the list of countries in the “low human development” category is Somalia, with an HDI score of 0.380, ranked 193rd, the lowest globally.
Sudan follows closely in second place with a score of 0.381, ranking 192nd, while the Central African Republic comes third with an HDI of 0.387, positioned at 191st.
Below are the top 10 lowest developed African countries in 2024:
| Rank | Country | HDI Score | Global Rank | Life Expectancy | Expected Years of Schooling | GNI per Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Somalia |
0.380 |
193rd |
56 years |
7.6 |
$1,072 |
|
2 |
Sudan |
0.381 |
192nd |
55.6 years |
5.6 |
$691 |
|
3 |
Central African Republic |
0.387 |
191st |
54.4 years |
7.3 |
$869 |
|
4 |
Niger |
0.394 |
190th |
62.1 years |
7.2 |
$1,283 |
|
5 |
Chad |
0.394 |
189th |
53.0 years |
8.2 |
$1,389 |
|
6 |
Mali |
0.410 |
188th |
59.4 years |
7.0 |
$2,044 |
|
7 |
Burundi |
0.420 |
187th |
62.0 years |
10.0 |
$712 |
|
8 |
Burkina Faso |
0.438 |
185th |
59.8 years |
8.1 |
$2,037 |
|
9 |
Sierra Leone |
0.458 |
184th |
60.4 years |
9.0 |
$1,613 |
|
10 |
Mozambique |
0.461 |
183rd |
59.6 years |
10.7 |
$1,219 |
