Which African countries are thriving? Scientists have a new way to measure happiness

What does it mean to live a good life? Psychologists and social scientists have been focusing on a new idea called prosperity—this sense of happiness goes beyond happiness or success. It’s about your whole life being great, including how you interact with others and the community. So, how do Africans perform when they are thriving?

Victor Counted is a psychologist whose research in 40 African countries provides data-rich rethinking that flourishes across the continent. His discovery challenges the dominant narrative that Africa “lagged behind” in development through a more nuanced understanding of the meaning of living a better life. We asked him more.

What is prosperity?

Prosperity is not just about economic growth or personal happiness. This is a multidimensional state that reflects people’s feelings about life and the actual situation of life. Therefore, it also measures the values ​​of people in the community.

The idea of ​​happiness usually values ​​individuals – personal satisfaction, autonomy, achievement. A flourishing means that a person is related to his environment.

It includes the social, spiritual and ecological environment in which a person lives. So it is not only a person’s feelings, but a person’s life – fully, meaningful, and a satisfying relationship with the world around us.

What is Global Prosperity Research?

Research on global booming is trying to measure the global model of human thriving. This is an ongoing five-year longitudinal study with a longitudinal study of 200,000 participants in 22 countries.

I am one of the global team of scholars to study trends in the meaning of life across cultures and living environments.

Read more: What makes people thrive? A new survey of more than 200,000 people in 22 countries is looking for global models and local differences

The study identified six key aspects of prosperity:

• Happiness and life satisfaction

• Physical and mental health

• Close social relations

• Financial and material stability

Participants scored them in a range of 0 to 10 in each size. Further questions capture experiences related to trust, loneliness, hope, resilience, and other related well-being variables.

Of the 22 countries, 5 are Africa: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Egypt.

Although these countries are not ranked globally (in Indonesia and Mexico), Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt have relatively high scores, especially when people think of happiness and financial situations.

For example, Nigeria’s No. 5 score rankings in the world do not include financial indicators – leading many wealthy countries. Nigerians represent advantages of social relations, character and virtue (such as forgiveness or helping others). But potential areas of growth include financial well-being, housing, racial discrimination and education.

Overall, this suggests that while material resources are important, they are not the only factors that determine happiness. Kenya ranks seventh, Egypt 10th, Tanzania 11th and South Africa ranks 13th. Everyone shows unique advantages in areas such as meaning, social connection or mental health.

You conducted another study in Africa. What have you found?

In a 2024 study, we analyzed data from the Gallup World Poll (2020-2022) and explored 38 well-being indicators in 40 African countries.

This study provides a more detailed and sensitive picture of how Africans experience and prioritize thriving. The dimensions explored come from local and common sources, thus providing regionally relevant insights.

We found that despite economic difficulties, the meaning, personality and social relationships of African population are often high. This provides important corrections to the Western assumptions about happiness.

Some of our main findings are:

●There is significant diversity between and within African countries. Mauritius always ranks the highest in life assessments (overall satisfaction with their lives), while countries such as Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe scored the lowest.

●East African countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia also perform strongly in indicators of social welfare (such as being respected or learning new things every day), even if the economic indicators are low.

●West African countries, such as Senegal and Ghana, scored high in emotional health, and many reported positive daily emotions such as enjoyment and laughter.

● Despite challenges such as income inequality, southern African countries show resilience through strong community relations and cultural practices rooted in philosophy Ubuntu.

The results reinforce that Africa’s prosperity cannot only reduce to GDP per capita (GDP) (measures a country’s average economic output), but also reduces the Western successful norms.

Can African countries focus on thriving?

I think the path to greater prosperity is to embrace local knowledge and invest in culturally relevant development priorities. Instead of following a Western approach centered on individual progress, Africa can model alternative prosperity that reflects the most important for African people.

1. Prioritize local knowledge systems

African concepts about the interconnected society – Ubuntu (Southern Africa), Uhama (East Africa), Teranga or Wazobia (West Africa) and Al-Musawat Wal Tarahum (North Africa) Teach people to take care of each other and live peacefully. These values ​​help people live meaningful lives and can inform leadership and legislation.

2. Redefine development metrics

The Western development model focuses on personal achievements, economic output and material consumption. GDP per capita fails to capture the daily reality and aspirations of African communities. We should also measure people’s sense of happiness, hope for the future, strength and resilience of their communities, and the cleanliness, safety and dignity of their living environment.

This is not a new idea – for years, development scholars have called for a shift from narrow economic indicators to focusing on human dignity, agency, and the real opportunity for people to pursue their lives that they cherish. New is the growing availability of data and the momentum of these alternative indicators is taken seriously in shaping national policies and priorities.

3. Investment role development education

Quality education is crucial to unlocking the potential for the thriving African continent. But Africa requires not only academic skills and workforce preparation, but also a strategy to intentionally develop values ​​and habits that shape a person’s mind, feeling and act in an upright way.

Part of the problem is that areas of the humanities (such as history, literature, philosophy, and religious studies) are often underestimated or underfunded in the education system. But it is these disciplines that cultivate moral imagination, critical thinking and civic responsibility. We need educational models that not only form workers, but also the whole person—those who can think ethically, act responsibly and lead the community with character.

Read more: What makes a person look wise? Global research finds cultures are indeed different – but not as much as you think

What does Africa offer in terms of prosperity?

Africa is not waiting for salvation. Throughout the continent, people are building nursing communities, fostering happiness in hardships, and delivering values ​​of solidarity, faith and compassion. This is the development when rooted in human dignity.

Africa’s thriving goal provides another vision for development, which begins with the vision that Africa already has, not lacks. These are local happiness. They are shaped by the indigenous knowledge system, cultural values ​​and religious/spiritual traditions in Africa. Pursuing these goals means prioritizing wealth, community over consumption and resilience over rescue.

The continent offers a lot to the world: wisdom, strong community values ​​and a way to stay resilient and fully living during difficult times. But many of the local insights are missing in the science of global well-being.

This article is republished from the conversation, a non-profit independent news organization that brings you factual and trustworthy analysis to help you understand our complex world. It says: Victor Count, Regent University

Read more:

Victor’s consultation on the African prosperity initiative