Zim GBC News Reporter
HARARE – Nigeria and Zimbabwe have been ranked among the world’s ten most challenging countries to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) 2025 Global Livability Index. The report evaluates 173 cities across five critical categories: stability, healthcare, culture/environment, education, and infrastructure.
African cities faced significant hurdles, with the report citing economic crises, security concerns, underfunded healthcare, and deteriorating education systems as key factors dragging down scores. Zimbabwean urban centers scored poorly in stability (linked to civil unrest and crime) and infrastructure (covering transport, housing, and utilities).
Methodology Under Scrutiny
The index uses 30+ qualitative and quantitative indicators, including:
- 📉 Stability: Terror threat, violent crime, and conflict risk
- ⚕️ Healthcare: Availability/quality of private and public care
- 🌍 Culture/Environment: Climate vulnerability, censorship, and recreational access
- 🎓 Education: Public school quality and affordability
- 🚧 Infrastructure: Public transit, energy reliability, and telecommunications
Zimbabweans Reject “War Zone” Comparison
The ranking ignited fierce social media criticism, with many Zimbabweans disputing the methodology after the report placed the country near conflict zones like Ukraine:
“These indices cannot be trusted. How can Zim be placed in the same bracket as Ukraine, a country bombarded with Russian hypersonic missiles?”
– @TrevosTshuma“Ratings fall short of credibility. Zimbabwe isn’t at war, yet ranked alongside nations in active conflict.”
– @redbakkie13“How is Zimbabwe’s stability (40/100) equal to Ukraine’s? This is rubbish.”
– @bbxhawk
The EIU has not publicly responded to the criticism.
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