Ghana, with a soft power score of 35.1, ranks as the 7th African country with the greatest soft power influence over the world.
Globally, Ghana ranks 85th.
Egypt, South Africa and Morocco with soft power scores of 44.9, 43.7, and 40.6 rank first, second, and third respectively in terms of African countries with the greatest soft power influence over the world.
According to the latest Global Soft Power Index, Soft Power is defined as a nation’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviours of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, public etc.) through attraction or persuasion rather than coercion.
The soft power index, now in its fifth iteration with the 2024 edition, examines the perceptions of all 193 member states of the United Nations.
This year, the United States leads the rankings with an all-time highest Global Soft Power Index score of 78.8, an increase from 74.8 in 2023. Dominant nation brands are recording faster Soft Power growth (average +3.1 points in the top 50) than the rest of the ranking (average -1.3 for those ranked 51-193).
However, countries like South Africa, along with other regional heavyweights like India and Brazil, are struggling with the challenge of fully realizing their Soft Power potential.
While these nations wield considerable familiarity and influence, especially in their respective regions, they struggle to establish a strong global reputation. Despite being praised for their rich culture & heritage, they face hurdles in areas like business & trade.
The observed increase in soft power scores this year has not translated into significant advancements in rankings for South Africa, India, and Brazil.
The metrics of soft power are broken down into eight main pillars: Business & trade, international relations, education & science, culture & heritage, governance, media & communication, sustainable future, and people & values.
| Rank | Country | Soft Power Score | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 44.9 | 39 |
| 2 | South Africa | 43.7 | 43 |
| 3 | Morocco | 40.6 | 50 |
| 4 | Algeria | 36.8 | 73 |
| 5 | Tunisia | 36.6 | 77 |
| 6 | Nigeria | 36.3 | 79 |
| 7 | Ghana | 35.1 | 85 |
| 8 | Tanzania | 34.7 | 93 |
| 9 | Senegal | 34.6 | 94 |
| 10 | Kenya | 34.6 | 95 |