NEW YORK, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rwanda has taken the top spot in the latest edition of the Baseline Profitability Index (BPI), a unique measure of countries’ attractiveness for direct investment. The BPI is published annually by Dr. Daniel Altman, economist and author of the High Yield Economics newsletter.
India, Malaysia, Botswana, and Qatar rounded out the BPI’s top five – as in 2025 – and the United Arab Emirates entered the index in sixth place. The biggest gainers were Nigeria (from 91st to 65th), Bulgaria (from 53rd to 36th), and Croatia (from 43rd to 28th). Losing the most ground were Senegal (from 30th to 72nd), Bangladesh (from 42nd to 70th), and Kenya (from 44th to 68th).
The BPI is a benchmark for foreign direct investment that accounts for the share of proceeds likely to return to the investor’s country of origin. With a five-year time horizon, the BPI considers factors like security, property rights, corruption, and exchange rates for more than 100 countries. The BPI is the only index to combine these factors and convey a country’s overall attractiveness for investment.
Top 20 Countries By Overall BPI Score (rounded):
Rank | Country | BPI | Rank | Country | BPI |
1 | Rwanda | 1.27 | 11 | Vietnam | 1.16 |
2 | India | 1.26 | 12 | Malta | 1.14 |
3 | Malaysia | 1.24 | 13 | Czechia | 1.14 |
4 | Botswana | 1.22 | 14 | Mauritius | 1.13 |
5 | Qatar | 1.21 | 15 | Lithuania | 1.13 |
6 | UAE | 1.21 | 16 | Armenia | 1.12 |
7 | Georgia | 1.19 | 17 | Oman | 1.12 |
8 | Singapore | 1.18 | 18 | Korea | 1.12 |
9 | Philippines | 1.18 | 19 | Poland | 1.12 |
10 | Indonesia | 1.17 | 20 | New Zealand | 1.11 |
For a complete list, please visit the BPI website at baselineprofitabilityindex.com.
About Daniel Altman: Dr. Daniel Altman (PhD, Harvard) is an economist and bestselling author who has advised multinational corporations, investment firms, and government entities across four continents. His insights are regularly featured by media including The New York Times and CNN. His High Yield Economics newsletter on LinkedIn has more than 3,700 subscribers. His personal website is danielaltman.com.
Note for Editors: Daniel Altman is available for interviews in English and Spanish. Interactive charts and the complete BPI dataset are available on the BPI website. For inquiries, please email info@baselineprofitabilityindex.com
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