South Africa has improved its position in the 2026 World Competitiveness Yearbook released by the Institute of Management Development, in collaboration with Productivity SA.
The country rose to 54th place out of 70 economies surveyed, compared to 64th in 2025.
Productivity SA says the improvement signals progress in several key areas of government efficiency, business confidence and infrastructure management, although significant structural challenges continue to weigh on the countrys competitiveness and economic performance.
