Nigeria has been ranked 105th in the World Intellectual Property Organisation Global Innovation Index 2025, emerging as one of the fastest climbers despite falling short of the top 100.
The country also leads globally in unicorn valuation, reflecting growing venture capital activity and high-tech investment.
WIPO, the UN agency supporting innovators worldwide, evaluates nearly 140 economies on innovation performance.
While Nigeria still trails leading nations, its gains highlight a strengthening tech and investment ecosystem.
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to make steady progress, with 10 economies improving their GII rankings.
Mauritius tops the region at 53rd, followed by South Africa (61st), Seychelles (75th), Botswana (87th), and Senegal (89th). Mauritius leads in venture capital activity, while South Africa excels in ICT services imports and global brand value.
Namibia recorded the region’s biggest rise, climbing 11 places to 91st. It also ranks first globally in education spending and shows strong performance in public–private research collaboration and foreign direct investment, underscoring the region’s growing innovation ecosystem.
Senegal climbed three spots in the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, demonstrating notable strength in unicorn valuation and microfinance access. Nigeria, ranked 105th, trails Rwanda (104th), the region’s longest-standing innovation over-performer.
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to expand its presence in the index, with five of the six new entrants in 2025 coming from the region: Seychelles, Malawi (125th), Lesotho (132nd), Guinea (133rd), and Congo (137th).
Globally, Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore led the GII 2025 rankings.
They were followed by the United Kingdom, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, and China, which entered the top 10 for the first time, reflecting the shifting landscape of global innovation leadership.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 assessed nearly 140 economies using around 80 indicators, including research and development (R&D) spending, venture capital (VC) deals, high-tech exports, and intellectual property filings.
Recognized as the leading global benchmark for policymakers, business leaders, and innovation stakeholders, the GII provides key insights for developing robust innovation ecosystems.
This year, 17 low- and middle-income economies exceeded expectations relative to their development levels, with India and Vietnam maintaining their positions as the longest-running innovation over-performers.
