African Youth Identify Corruption as Major Obstacle, Demand Creation of Local Job Opportunities – New Research Finds

Africa’s youth have bounced back from the ravages of COVID 19, but they aren’t happy with the direction their governments are taking. They are unafraid to speak out and they are unequivocal about what the greatest threat to their futures is – corruption.

Corruption is now front and centre in the minds of youth in the rest of the continent. They believe that corruption in their countries is robbing them of their birth right; the single greatest hurdle they face to achieve their own potential and achieve the better life that was denied their parents and their grandparents. Most of all, they don’t believe their governments are doing enough to address this scourge and because of it almost 60% are looking to emigrate in the next five years, with North America being the top destination of choice followed by Western Europe, where France, UK, Germany and Spain are the top destinations.

This concern with corruption is a key finding of the 2024 edition of the African Youth Survey, the third iteration of the unique biennial survey of African youths aged between 18 and 24. For this edition, 5 604 youths were interviewed in 16 countries. Since its inception in 2020, researchers have gauged the sentiments of more than 14 000 respondents across Africa, collectively representing 84% of the continent – on a variety of a different issues from their hopes and aspirations to their most pressing concerns.

The youth want change. They want tougher sanctions against corrupt politicians, including banning them from standing for office. They also want a different form of government. The youth still believe in democracy (69%), but they are turning away from the western concept of democracy in favour of an African infused system (60%) that will deliver the results they desire. More alarmingly, nearly one in three believe that non-democratic systems, from the military or one-party rule, could be preferable under certain circumstances.
The youth also want jobs – and if not jobs, then the opportunity to create their own. They are concerned about their countries being exploited by foreign companies especially their natural mineral wealth being mined and exported without any further benefit to the people from where those resources have been extracted.

From a global perspective, China continues to have the most positive perception among African youth, closely followed by the US with Russia making significant strides since the previous survey in 2022. The Survey explored the impact of the Ukraine-Russia War on the continent, revealing that a majority of youth blames Western powers for the conflict, suggesting that Russia is gaining the upper hand in the public relations battle through misinformation and fake news campaigns.

While the youth believe their leaders should be consulted when it comes to the world’s problems less than half believe their countries should take stronger stances on the current wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

They believe Russian president Vladimir Putin will becoming one of the most influential leaders in Africa soon, while a Donald Trump victory in the upcoming US presidential elections will be a far worse outcome for Africa, than his opponent.

“The African Youth Survey continues to build on the promise it showed when we launched it four years ago,” says industrialist and philanthropist Ivor Ichikowitz, whose Ichikowitz Family Foundation conceptualised and funds the survey.

The survey is creating an invaluable body of knowledge that is indispensable for both local political leaders, multinational companies, and global Aid NGOs when it comes to policy direction, investment, and aid programmes in a post COVID world, he says.

“As we move ever deeper into the epoch that was dubbed the African Century only 25 years ago, it is becoming clearer about what needs to be done to make this a reality by unlocking the potential that lies within Africa and properly, organically and sustainably harnessing it to the benefit not just of the people who live here, but to the whole world too.

“Almost a third of the continent will go to the polls in 2024 it is vital to have an idea of what is going to happen – and to understand why when it does. In a continent like Africa, with the age of its population, the youth are a far more important factor than anywhere else on the globe. How the rest of the world will respond to the voices of Africa’s youth will shape the future of the planet.”