According to the latest edition of the Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which evaluates 139 nations representing nearly all of global gross domestic product, 16 of the 35 African countries studied improved their position compared to the previous exercise. The report, based on a rigorous methodology combining 79 indicators distributed across five input pillars and two output pillars, highlights the growing vitality of innovation ecosystems across Africa's different regions.


At the top of the continental ranking, the Republic of Mauritius once again imposes itself as the continent's most innovative economy, advancing three ranks to reach 50th place worldwide with a score of 34.1 points. This unprecedented performance in the global Top 50 relies on particularly strong scores in institutional and market sophistication domains. The Kingdom of Morocco consolidates its position as Africa's runner-up, also gaining three places to reach 54th worldwide, standing out notably for the vigor of its intangible assets and creative products. South Africa completes the continental top trio by occupying 63rd place worldwide, outpacing dynamic nations such as Tunisia, Botswana, Egypt, Senegal, Rwanda and Kenya, while Ghana closes the regional top ten.


Beyond the headline rankings, the dynamics of the 2026 edition are marked by notable progress recorded by several intermediate countries, such as Rwanda gaining eight places, Madagascar progressing by seven ranks, or Botswana and Tunisia. These advances testify to a structural improvement of environments conducive to innovative entrepreneurship and the growing role of technology in diversifying African economies, confirming that the continent is actively working to bridge its competitiveness gaps through the lever of creativity and research.


BCN

Tags: innovation afrique maurice innovation maroc innovation afrique du sud innovation global innovation index 2026 ompi classement top 50 mondial écosystèmes d'innovation croissance technologique afrique compétitivité africaine