“We Went Through School of Hard Knocks”: African Youth Top the World in Global Mental Health Study

• Ghana ranked first globally in youth mental health for 2025, with young people scoring higher than those in the UK, Japan, and the United States
• Early smartphone use before age 13 was strongly linked to lower mental health scores, with many African teens getting their first phone much later
• Despite spending less than 50 US cents per person on mental health, several African countries outperformed nations investing billions in mental health services

Ghana ranked first globally. Nigeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe followed close behind. The countries leading the world in youth mental health are not the ones you would expect.

Young people between the ages of 18 and 34 in Sub-Saharan Africa are the most mentally healthy in the world. This is according to a February 2025 report by Sapien Labs, titled the Global Mind Health Report.

The study drew from data across 84 countries. It used the Mental Health Quotient (MHQ), a tool that measures emotional, cognitive, social, and resilience functioning, to rank nations. Ghana came out on top globally, with youth scoring between 60 and 80 on the MHQ. Meanwhile, countries like the UK, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States sat at the bottom of the chart.

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The numbers tell a story money cannot buy

The global MHQ average sits at 66. That sounds reasonable until you look at what is happening inside wealthy nations. Countries that spend billions on mental health services are producing some of the most mentally distressed young people on the planet. The United States, Canada, and Japan consistently rank poorly for youth in the 18 to 34 bracket.

In Europe, Italy was the highest-ranking country, sitting at just 20th place globally. That is a humbling position for a continent that prides itself on progressive healthcare.

Meanwhile, Nigeria ranked 2nd globally. Kenya came in 3rd. Zimbabwe placed 4th. Tanzania, which led the global ranking in 2024 with a score above 60, dropped to 5th this year. Rwanda, Senegal, Mozambique, Benin, and Uganda also made the top 10 African nations and the top 15 globally.

These are countries where government spending on mental health is less than 50 US cents per capita, according to the WHO.

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See the report by Business Insider Africa below:

Social media reacts to the ranking

Briefly News compiled a series of comments under the Facebook post by Business Insider Africa on 26 February 2026.

Ayub Njie commented:

“It is not despite but because of the hardship. It gave a realistic perspective of what life is about.”

Val Kelechi Egejuru said:

“Strong religious and traditional cultural spirituality helps to strengthen the mind and to give deeper meaning to life. Africa is a land of strong spirituality, whether traditional or imported.”

Juliana Paulo Musa wrote:

“Most of us have passed through the school of hard knocks. Our mothers and grandmothers' slaps taught us how to be tough, and we can face any life challenges.“

Tebza Winner commented:

“When you are hungry, there's no time for depression. All you seek is the next meal.”

Kelyson Mang'ola said:

“It is because they developed a level of mental resilience and endurance to hardships over time. Not only youths, but even adults.”

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More articles about mental health

• Congolese actor Joe Kazadi shared a raw reflection on the mental health toll of living and working in South Africa as a migrant.
• A Cape Town man named Michael shared a video on 4 November 2025 showing his journey running the entire length of Japan.
• A group of runners shared a video from day three of their 600km journey from Durban to Johannesburg.

Source: Briefly News