Power is more than just the “ability or right to control people or things”; it is also the “ability to act or produce an effect” over others.
The Global Soft Power Index defines soft power as a country’s ability to influence the choices and behaviors of international players (states, corporations, communities, and the public) by attraction or persuasion, rather than coercion.
While Soft Power is frequently linked with cultural rather than financial influence, it plays an important, and increasingly visible, role in encouraging trade and attracting foreign investment.
The soft power index, now in its fifth iteration with the 2024 edition, surveyed over 170,000 people in more than 100 nations to gauge impressions of 193 countries’ brands.
The measurements of soft power are divided into eight categories: business and trade, international relations, education and science, culture and heritage, governance, media and communication, sustainable future, and people and values.
In Africa, Egypt leads with a soft power index score of 44.9, while Djibouti has the lowest soft power influence score of 23.7. It was followed by Eritrea (24.2) and Somalia (25.2).
The following are the ten African countries having the least soft power impact over the world in 2024.
| Rank | Country | Soft Power Score | Global Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Djibouti | 23.7 | 189 |
| 2 | Eritrea | 24.2 | 184 |
| 3 | Somalia | 25.2 | 179 |
| 4 | Chad | 25.7 | 176 |
| 5 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 26.1 | 174 |
| 6 | Burundi | 26.2 | 173 |
| 7 | Sierra Leone | 26.8 | 169 |
| 8 | Gabon | 26.8 | 168 |
| 9 | Comoros | 27.0 | 164 |
| 10 | Guinea-Bissau | 27.1 | 163 |