World Bank WGI 2024
Summary
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) measure six key governance dimensions using perception data from multiple sources. The 2025 edition introduces methodological updates to improve cross-country governance comparisons.
Review
The Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) represent a critical global effort to systematically measure and compare governance quality across nations. By aggregating data from 35 different sources, the project creates composite indicators that assess six fundamental dimensions of governance: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption. This approach provides a nuanced, data-driven perspective on how institutional structures and practices influence national development outcomes. The methodology's strength lies in its comprehensive and standardized approach, offering comparable governance estimates across more than 200 economies from 1996 to 2024. However, the authors cautiously note that while these indicators are valuable for broad cross-country comparisons and trend analysis, they are too coarse for designing specific governance reforms. The 2025 edition introduces methodological refinements, including enhanced data source screening and an absolute 0-100 scale, demonstrating the project's commitment to continuous improvement and methodological transparency. The WGI serves as a crucial tool for researchers, policymakers, and development professionals seeking to understand the institutional foundations of economic and social progress.
Key Points
- Measures six governance dimensions using perception data from 35 sources
- Provides comparable governance estimates for over 200 economies since 1996
- Useful for broad comparative analysis but not for specific reform design