Ghana has secured the sixth position among African countries and 36th place worldwide in the 2025 Education First (EF) English Proficiency Index, confirming its standing as one of Africa’s leading nations in English language competency.
The latest rankings show that Ghana trails South Africa and Zimbabwe, which share the top spot on the continent at 13th globally, along with Kenya (19th), Zambia (27th), and Nigeria (29th). However, Ghana ranks higher than countries like Uganda (53rd), Ethiopia (65th), Tunisia (66th), Morocco (68th), and Tanzania (77th).
The continent of Africa is increasingly consolidating its role in the global English-speaking marketplace, with multiple countries demonstrating strong proficiency levels in the 2025 English Proficiency Index released by international education company Education First (EF).
The 2025 index evaluated English language abilities across the globe, examining information from more than 2.2 million participants spanning 123 regions.
Countries are classified according to their adult English capabilities into five proficiency levels, ranging from “Very High” down to “Very Low”.
Nations in Southern and East Africa, including South Africa and Zimbabwe, secured the top positions in the “Very High” proficiency category across the continent.
The rankings highlight how English proficiency plays a crucial role in facilitating commerce, drawing investment, and improving global trade connections.
This yearly assessment measures adult English language competence across 123 countries and territories globally, using data from over 2.2 million individuals who took the EF Standard English Test (EF SET), the largest free standardized English evaluation available worldwide.
EF groups countries into five proficiency levels: Very High, High, Moderate, Low, and Very Low, offering a comparison of how well populations can utilize English in work-related, educational, and everyday situations.
Understanding EF’s proficiency classifications
Nations with very high proficiency (scores exceeding 600) generally demonstrate the ability to employ sophisticated language in complicated social and professional environments, comprehend advanced written materials effortlessly, and conduct contract negotiations with native English speakers.
Countries ranked at high proficiency (550–599) can comfortably give presentations at work, understand television content, and read news publications.
Moderate proficiency (500–549) indicates the capacity to engage in professional conversations within one’s area of expertise and compose formal emails, whereas low proficiency (450–499) suggests practical but restricted English usage, including managing travel situations or basic workplace interactions.
Africa’s leading countries
Southern and East African nations lead the continent’s rankings, reflecting sustained commitments to English-language education, trade cooperation, and exposure to international commerce.
South Africa and Zimbabwe top the African rankings, both achieving very high proficiency scores of 602, positioning them among the world’s strongest English-speaking nations.
Kenya, Zambia, and Nigeria rank closely behind in the high-proficiency tier, strengthening their positions as regional centers for multinational corporations, tech companies, and international development organizations.
Ghana from West Africa and Uganda from East Africa are situated in the moderate-proficiency range, while Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Morocco round out the top 10 with low yet usable English proficiency.
Business implications
English proficiency continues to be an essential factor in attracting foreign investment, facilitating international trade, outsourcing, and digital service delivery.
Nations with stronger proficiency levels generally draw more multinational companies, enjoy greater involvement in global supply chains, and integrate more smoothly into worldwide job markets.
As Africa expands its involvement with international finance, technology, and service sectors, EF’s 2025 rankings reveal where language abilities are strengthening competitive advantage and where additional investment in education and workforce development might be necessary.