Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020)

Abstract

This study examines national ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance across 24 African countries over three decades (1990–2020), employing a disaggregated approach to assess sustainability outcomes. Building on the World Bank's Sovereign ESG Framework and using the entropy weight method, the research assigns weightings of 42.13 ​% to environmental factors, 30.39 ​% to social factors, and 27.47 ​% to governance factors. By segmenting the period into three decade-based intervals, the study systematically captures long-term trends and short-term disruptions in sustainability performance. The analysis reveals notable regional disparities and temporal shifts in ESG scores, with significant improvements in social and governance dimensions in some regions contrasted by modest gains or even declines in environmental indicators. These outcomes highlight the challenges of measuring sustainability in contexts marked by heterogeneous institutional capacities and diverse socio-economic dynamics. Furthermore, the study identifies that formal metrics often overlook grassroots sustainability practices rooted in informal networks. The findings underscore the need for tailored policy interventions that integrate both conventional and non-traditional sustainability measures, thereby providing nuanced insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to bridge gaps in conventional ESG frameworks. This research not only contributes to the academic discourse on national sustainability assessments but also offers practical recommendations for enhancing regional ESG strategies in Africa.