country profile

Mali

Sub-Saharan AfricaLow income25.20M population

Last updated August 26, 2026

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Fragile/Conflict-Affected Country: This country is classified as experiencing conflict.

In fragile and conflict-affected settings, severe data gaps, rapid disruption, and uneven reporting can distort index values. These scores should be read as a limited signal, not a complete picture of conditions in the country.

Critically unprepared

Composite GEFRI Score

Severe readiness constraints across dimensions

Mali shows critically low readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (10th percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints.

29.69Composite score
Global percentile
10th
Global rank
#161
Regional rank
#33
Viewing data for
Emerging readiness
Infrastructure
45.36
15th percentileGlobal avg. 70.44
Severely underprepared
Human Capital
36.95
8th percentileGlobal avg. 66.18
Critically unprepared
Innovation
27.73
15th percentileGlobal avg. 48.64
Critically unprepared
Governance
25.72
15th percentileGlobal avg. 47.07
Critically unprepared
Access & Parity
12.67
2nd percentileGlobal avg. 60.85

Country profile

Mali faces substantial readiness constraints across core dimensions. Its weakest results are in Infrastructure (45, 15th percentile), Human Capital (37, 8th percentile), GEFRI Composite (30, 10th percentile), Innovation (28, 15th percentile), Governance (26, 15th percentile) and School Access and Gender Parity (13, 2nd percentile). These gaps continue to weigh on overall readiness.

Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. Limited electricity or internet coverage still constrains classrooms, preventing large-scale digital instruction. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.

Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity leans toward boys in secondary pathways, signalling persistent barriers for girls.

Regionally, School Access and Gender Parity lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.

Some indicators are imputed, so the profile should be read with moderate caution.

Key insights

Falls below many peers at the 10th percentile.

Places 161st worldwide.

Holds a regional position of 33rd within Sub-Saharan Africa.

Scores range from Infrastructure (45.4) to Access & Parity (12.7), reflecting variation across dimensions.

Trails regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.

Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
611Mauritius69.13
672South Africa68.78
SeychellesMicrostate64.14
863Botswana63.01
974Namibia59.03
1005Ghana58.00
1156Eswatini49.17
1167Cabo Verde49.06
1238Rwanda44.81
1279Gambia, The43.01
12810Kenya42.93
12911Senegal42.87
13012Gabon42.59
13213Equatorial Guinea41.26
13314Cote d'Ivoire41.19
13915Zambia38.11
14016Lesotho37.98
Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate37.69
14117Togo37.61
14418Benin36.56
14519Zimbabwe36.55
14620Tanzania35.55
14721CameroonFCS35.16
14922Mauritania34.17
15023Sierra Leone33.62
15124ComorosFCS33.36
15225Burkina FasoFCS32.56
15326Congo, Rep.FCS32.39
15427Uganda32.27
15528Angola32.18
15729NigeriaFCS31.67
15830MozambiqueFCS30.55
15931MalawiFCS30.35
16032EthiopiaFCS30.26
16133MaliFCS29.69
16234Madagascar29.63
16435Guinea28.36
16536Guinea-BissauFCS28.36
16837Liberia24.94
16938NigerFCS24.54
17039Burundi24.53
17140Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS24.39
17241SudanFCS23.03
17342EritreaFCS21.02
17443ChadFCS20.62
17544Central African RepublicFCS20.44
17645SomaliaFCS20.32
17746South SudanFCS18.91